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.

First UK outbreak of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus confirmed
First UK outbreak of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus confirmed

Symptoms of the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) have been reported for the first time in a UK tomato...

NSA calls for Government support to avoid mass post-Brexit sheep cull
NSA calls for Government support to avoid mass post-Brexit sheep cull

Destroying sheep after the UK leaves the EU could be a ‘worst-case scenario’ for the industry post-Brexit, the UK’s Brexit...

Increasing bioethanol in fuel mix ‘crucial’ to achieving net-zero goals
Increasing bioethanol in fuel mix ‘crucial’ to achieving net-zero goals

The NFU has reiterated its calls for the government to introduce E10 petrol to the fuel mix so that farmers...

Farmers urged to ramp up safety efforts for Farm Safety Week
Farmers urged to ramp up safety efforts for Farm Safety Week

Farmers across the country have been urged to ramp up their efforts to make health and safety a priority in...

Scottish General Licence consultation opens
Scottish General Licence consultation opens

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has announced it will launch a 12-week consultation reviewing General Licences for wild birds. All wild...

UK groceries bill to soar £800 if key pesticides are banned
UK groceries bill to soar £800 if key pesticides are banned

The average UK family shopping bill is set to soar by £786 if pesticides are banned from British farms. A...

Plans for new Welsh farm support system stalled
Plans for new Welsh farm support system stalled

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed the Welsh Government’s decision to delay radical changes to agricultural support. The FUW...

PETA buys Facebook shares in a bid to boost social media visibility
PETA buys Facebook shares in a bid to boost social media visibility

Extremist animal rights organisation PETA has bought its way into Facebook in a bid to increase the visibility of its...

Fruitful result for British farmers as berry exports reach £22.1 million
Fruitful result for British farmers as berry exports reach £22.1 million

12 international markets opened their doors to British produce in 2018, with exports of soft fruits reaching £22.1 million. New...

De facto Deputy Prime Minister welcomed to Islay farm
De facto Deputy Prime Minister welcomed to Islay farm

NFU Scotland’s Islay members welcomed the de-facto Deputy Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. David Lidington CBE MP to see first-hand the...

Farm Safety Week: Scotland sees Britain’s largest farm death increase
Farm Safety Week: Scotland sees Britain’s largest farm death increase

More needs to be done across Scotland to tackle the death rate in agriculture, as it is revealed 13 people...

West Yorkshire farmer sentenced for animal welfare offences
West Yorkshire farmer sentenced for animal welfare offences

A West Yorkshire farmer has been banned from keeping livestock for seven years, after failing to comply with animal welfare legislation....

Police appeal for information after more sheep butchered in fields
Police appeal for information after more sheep butchered in fields

Northamptonshire Police is urging rural communities to look out for any suspicious activity following more incidents within the last week...

Holstein UK Team selected for European Young Breeders School
Holstein UK Team selected for European Young Breeders School

Seven young aspiring dairy breeders have been selected to represent the UK at the European Young Breeders School (EYBS) in...

Hands Free Hectare team to create industry guide for autonomous vehicles
Hands Free Hectare team to create industry guide for autonomous vehicles

The Hands Free Hectare (HFHa) team has hosted a discussion consider what a good practice guide for agricultural robotics should include. The...

Derbyshire farm fraudster ordered to repay stolen tax or face jail
Derbyshire farm fraudster ordered to repay stolen tax or face jail

A Derbyshire farmer, who evaded more than £70,000 of Income Tax contributions, has been told she must repay all the stolen...

UK’s first national provenance centre launched in mission to end food fraud
UK’s first national provenance centre launched in mission to end food fraud

Plans to create a ground-breaking independent food provenance centre to improve transparency in the sector in England have been unveiled....

Scottish pig prices see steady summer increase
Scottish pig prices see steady summer increase

Scottish pig producers are benefiting from a slow and persistent rise in farmgate prices which have climbed 10% since the...