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.

Scottish Agriculture Bill passes stage 1 at Holyrood
Scottish Agriculture Bill passes stage 1 at Holyrood

Legislation which allows the Common Agricultural Policy to be simplified and improved post-Brexit has passed Stage 1, following a debate...

Marian Spain appointed new Natural England chief executive
Marian Spain appointed new Natural England chief executive

Marian Spain has been appointed as the new chief executive of Natural England, taking the post on a permanent basis...

UK red meat demand lower than pre-lockdown
UK red meat demand lower than pre-lockdown

Despite higher retail sales, overall demand for red meat is now lower than it was before the coronavirus lockdown. According...

Search begins for second cohort of NFU young ambassadors
Search begins for second cohort of NFU young ambassadors

The National Farmers’ Union has kicked off recruitment for young people from across England and Wales to make a mark...

New head of dairy services appointed at Wynnstay
New head of dairy services appointed at Wynnstay

Agricultural services firm Wynnstay has announced the appointment of David Howard as its new head of dairy services. Overseeing the...

NFUS launches children’s lockdown art competition
NFUS launches children’s lockdown art competition

NFU Scotland has launched an art competition for school-aged children who are at home due to coronavirus lockdown. Full etails...

Poots to extend routine inspections suspension in NI
Poots to extend routine inspections suspension in NI

Minister of Agriculture Edwin Poots has extended the suspension of most routine farm inspections until May 15, 2020. Minister Poots...

Marketing campaign launched to help shift 1.2 million spuds in storage
Marketing campaign launched to help shift 1.2 million spuds in storage

The stocks of potatoes held by growers at the end of March totalled 1.19 million tonnes according to an Agriculture...

Lockdown boosts industry expertise as Meat Education Programme see rise in learners
Lockdown boosts industry expertise as Meat Education Programme see rise in learners

New students signing up to AHDB’s award-winning Meat Education Programme (MEP) has increased by 50% since government restrictions began. Not...

Home-grown proteins could halve NI dairy’s soya imports
Home-grown proteins could halve NI dairy’s soya imports

Research carried out at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute at Hillsborough has found that homegrown field beans have the potential to...

Poots announces change to NI calf TB testing requirements
Poots announces change to NI calf TB testing requirements

New measures have been unveiled to enable more TB herd tests to be completed safely on farms in Northern Ireland. Minister...

SRUC awarded £36,000 to research Covid-19 in rural Scotland
SRUC awarded £36,000 to research Covid-19 in rural Scotland

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is one of 15 Scottish universities and research institutions contributing to global efforts to combat coronavirus...

Levy boards launch £1.2 million campaign to aid beef carcase balance
Levy boards launch £1.2 million campaign to aid beef carcase balance

A major £1.2 million national consumer campaign encouraging consumers to “Make It” with beef is being launched by Quality Meat...

Full steam ahead for summer 2020’s only agricultural show
Full steam ahead for summer 2020’s only agricultural show

It’s full steam ahead for what looks set to be the UK’s only summer agricultural show to take place this...

Former NFU president appointed as Organic Research Centre chairman
Former NFU president appointed as Organic Research Centre chairman

Former NFU president Tim Bennett has been appointed as the new chairman of the Organic Research Centre (ORC) Council of...

NFU writes 2,230 letters to MPs calling for support for British dairy industry
NFU writes 2,230 letters to MPs calling for support for British dairy industry

More than 2,230 letters have been written to nearly 400 MPs as part of an NFU campaign calling for urgent...

Arla to donate milk surplus to those in need
Arla to donate milk surplus to those in need

Butter, cheese, yoghurt and milk that should have been destined for Britain’s cafes and restaurants will now be going into...

More than 1 million litres of milk dumped in the UK
More than 1 million litres of milk dumped in the UK

UK farmers have been forced to discard of more than one million litres of milk since the start of the...