Rachel Martin

Rachel Martin Profile Picture

Rachel Martin specialises in writing about agri-business, food production and dairying. Previously she worked as a business reporter at one of Northern Ireland’s biggest daily newspapers. In 2017, she was named one of IFAJ's 10 Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism. She is currently secretary of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists in Northern Ireland. When she’s not writing, Rachel can usually be found in the milking parlour at home in Co. Down with her family's 130 cows.

NI’s £25 million Covid-19 support will ‘go to those who need it most’
NI’s £25 million Covid-19 support will ‘go to those who need it most’

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots has said Northern Ireland’s £25 million Covid-19 support fund will be “targeted...

Animal health giant calls on retailers to defend food standards
Animal health giant calls on retailers to defend food standards

One of the UK’s largest veterinary firms is calling on the retail and foodservice sector to give priority to British...

Dairy co-op trained farmers to collect milk in Covid-19 back-up plan
Dairy co-op trained farmers to collect milk in Covid-19 back-up plan

One of the UK’s biggest dairy co-operatives, Arla Foods, has revealed the significant lengths it went to to ensure the continuity...

LEAF Open Farm Sunday racks up the views in first online-only event
LEAF Open Farm Sunday racks up the views in first online-only event

Thousands of members of the public got to see behind the scenes of several UK farms from the comfort of...

UK food standards petition nears 1 million signatures
UK food standards petition nears 1 million signatures

A petition urging UK politicians to ensure any food imports meet British standards has garnered the support of almost one...

Poll shows 75% of NI public want more support for green farming
Poll shows 75% of NI public want more support for green farming

A new poll carried out in Northern Ireland by the RSPB has found that three-quarters of people in the region...

Mallon announces £10 million fund to repair NI’s rural roads
Mallon announces £10 million fund to repair NI’s rural roads

Northern Ireland’s Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has announced she will make a £10 million fund pot available to improve rural...

Brassicas to be focus of new AHDB strategic centre in Scotland
Brassicas to be focus of new AHDB strategic centre in Scotland

East of Scotland Growers (ESG) has joined AHDB’s Farm Excellence programme as the new Strategic Centre for field vegetable crops...

Scottish agricultural college takes to the skies for virtual farm tour
Scottish agricultural college takes to the skies for virtual farm tour

Coronavirus has forced many to look at things from a new perspective but one UK agricultural college has taken that...

Parliamentary report on small abattoirs recommends series of government interventions
Parliamentary report on small abattoirs recommends series of government interventions

Small abattoirs make a vital contribution to both the rural economy and animal welfare, according to a new report published...

Harrogate vintage machinery sale cancelled
Harrogate vintage machinery sale cancelled

One of the UK’s most notable vintage machinery auctions has become the latest victim of the Covid-19 pandemic. Making the...

Winter wheat yields forecast to be down 12% in 2020
Winter wheat yields forecast to be down 12% in 2020

An artificial intelligence system has used satellite data to forecast a reduction in UK winter-sown crops. As a result, it’s...

Sunniest spring on record leads to bumper crop of British strawberries
Sunniest spring on record leads to bumper crop of British strawberries

The sunniest UK spring on record has led to a bumper crop of extra sweet British strawberries with many growers...

1,000 Lincolnshire hare coursing incidents reported in just 7 months
1,000 Lincolnshire hare coursing incidents reported in just 7 months

Police in Lincolnshire have said more than 1,000 hare coursing incidents were reported across the county over a period of...

Armagh farmer killed in telehandler accident
Armagh farmer killed in telehandler accident

Police have confirmed an Armagh farmer has died following a telehandler incident on his farm in Keady on Saturday (June...

NI’s biggest drug seizure found hidden behind veg in refrigerated lorry
NI’s biggest drug seizure found hidden behind veg in refrigerated lorry

Three men have been arrested after 600kg of cannabis was found hidden among a lorry load of vegetables. The find...

UK meat exporters look for opportunities outside China as competition heats up
UK meat exporters look for opportunities outside China as competition heats up

Delegates to the first AHDB export webinar were told that work has begun to secure opportunities outside China as international...

Scotland’s pig industry launches 6-point plan to ‘reset, restart and recover’
Scotland’s pig industry launches 6-point plan to ‘reset, restart and recover’

Pig farmers in Scotland have set out a list of six priorities to map out how they plan to “reset,...