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.

Co. Down farmer fined £25,000 after construction accident death
Co. Down farmer fined £25,000 after construction accident death

A Castlewellan farmer has been fined £25,000 after a labourer aged in his 20s died on his farm during a...

‘Mahon’s Way’ to explore rural Antrim in first episode
‘Mahon’s Way’ to explore rural Antrim in first episode

The first episode of a brand new TV series exploring rural Northern Ireland is set to begin on Monday (July...

Poots announces 2 further EFS tranches on UFU president’s farm
Poots announces 2 further EFS tranches on UFU president’s farm

Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots announced he has secured funding for a fifth and sixth tranche of the Environmental...

NI agri-food to take a leaf from the aerospace industry
NI agri-food to take a leaf from the aerospace industry

Northern Ireland's agri-food industry is to take a leaf from the aerospace industry's book, in harnessing robots within production lines....

NI dairy industry would have to ‘revert to 1946 levels’ to meet net-zero
NI dairy industry would have to ‘revert to 1946 levels’ to meet net-zero

Northern Ireland's dairy industry would have to be slashed back to production levels last seen in 1946 in order to...

DAERA’s TB plans to be revealed next week
DAERA’s TB plans to be revealed next week

It's been heavily anticipated for the last year and a half, but Northern Ireland farmers will finally get the first...

Dale Farm sees £19 million increase in sales despite a year of lockdown
Dale Farm sees £19 million increase in sales despite a year of lockdown

Major Northern Ireland dairy cooperative Dale Farm has reported an increase in both group operating profits and sales in its...

NI Agriculture Minister declares war on plastic pollution
NI Agriculture Minister declares war on plastic pollution

Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has declared war on plastic pollution, announcing not one, but two initiatives to reduce...

New appointments announced for CAFRE advisory group
New appointments announced for CAFRE advisory group

A new chairperson and member have been appointed to the College Advisory Group, which oversees the College of Agri-Food and...

Sefcovic: Swiss-style veterinary zone would mean 80% reduction in SPS checks
Sefcovic: Swiss-style veterinary zone would mean 80% reduction in SPS checks

A 'Swiss-style' veterinary agreement would eliminate more than 80% of checks on UK agri-food goods entering the Single Market. European...

Hopes UK-EU chilled meat issue will be resolved in ‘next 48 hours’
Hopes UK-EU chilled meat issue will be resolved in ‘next 48 hours’

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic told Northern Ireland politicians he was "hopeful" a solution could be found "over the next...

Minister launches £1 million Rural Business Development Grant Scheme for NI
Minister launches £1 million Rural Business Development Grant Scheme for NI

Northern Ireland Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots has launched a £1 million fund to help the sustainability and development of...

Animal cruelty register petition tabled in the Assembly
Animal cruelty register petition tabled in the Assembly

A petition signed by thousands of people across the island calling for a central register of animal cruelty offenders has...

Devenish launches new venture to capitalise on Omega-3 technology
Devenish launches new venture to capitalise on Omega-3 technology

Northern Ireland headquartered agri nutrition firm Devenish has launched a new entity in partnership with a Canadian supplements firm to...

GPS trackers fitted to Mournes sheep to aid burn area recovery
GPS trackers fitted to Mournes sheep to aid burn area recovery

GPS trackers for sheep, drones and special test areas will all form part of the arsenal of agri-technology used to...

NI and Scottish Ministers write to Westminster over Free Trade concerns
NI and Scottish Ministers write to Westminster over Free Trade concerns

Scotland and Northern Ireland's Rural Affairs Ministers have written to Westminster reiterating "significant concerns" over the UK's approach to Free...

European Commission Vice President to meet NI politicians on Monday
European Commission Vice President to meet NI politicians on Monday

European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič has confirmed he will meet with Northern Ireland politicians on Monday (June 28). Šefčovič...

NI milk price round-up: Lakeland swaps unconditional bonus for base price rise
NI milk price round-up: Lakeland swaps unconditional bonus for base price rise

Northern Ireland milk buyers are tickling the 30p/L mark with marginal increases across most of May's base prices. The latest...