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.

CAFRE Level 2 courses to be ‘open for business’ from June
CAFRE Level 2 courses to be ‘open for business’ from June

Northern Ireland’s College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has announced plans to open applications for the next round of...

Livestock worrying bill introduced to Scottish Parliament
Livestock worrying bill introduced to Scottish Parliament

A bill to implement tough, new measures to tackle livestock worrying is set to begin its three-stage passage through the...

Minister Poots to begin work to divvy up £25 million Covid fund
Minister Poots to begin work to divvy up £25 million Covid fund

Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture Edwin Poots has said he will soon start work to divvy up a £25 million...

Farming unions warn UK Global Tariffs could be ‘negotiated away’
Farming unions warn UK Global Tariffs could be ‘negotiated away’

The UK’s farming unions have welcomed the government’s Global Tariff announcement as a “step in the right direction” but warned that...

24,500 Single Applications submitted on time in Northern Ireland
24,500 Single Applications submitted on time in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has confirmed that 24,494 Single Applications were received by the...

Dale Farm boss appointed as new NIFDA chairman
Dale Farm boss appointed as new NIFDA chairman

Dale Farm group chief executive Nick Whelan has been appointed as the new chairman of the Northern Ireland Food and Drink...

MPs urged to press for details of how food standards will be protected in trade deals
MPs urged to press for details of how food standards will be protected in trade deals

The National Farmers’ Union is urging MPs to ask how the government intends to honour its pledge to protect British...

UK Government and Prince Charles urge workers to ‘Pick for Britain’
UK Government and Prince Charles urge workers to ‘Pick for Britain’

The UK Government and the Prince of Wales have urged students and furloughed workers to apply for seasonal farm work....

NI allocates £25 million of its Covid emergency fund to agri-food
NI allocates £25 million of its Covid emergency fund to agri-food

Northern Ireland’s Department of Finance has made £25 million emergency Covid-19 funding available to the region’s agri-food sector. The money...

NI allocates £25 million of its Covid emergency fund to agri-food
NI allocates £25 million of its Covid emergency fund to agri-food

Northern Ireland’s Department of Finance has made £25 million emergency Covid-19 funding available to the region’s agri-food sector. The money...

Beef Expo delayed until 2021
Beef Expo delayed until 2021

The National Beef Association (NBA) has decided to cancel its flagship event – Beef Expo – for 2020. The event,...

Plaid launches ‘I’m buying local’ campaign to boost Welsh economy
Plaid launches ‘I’m buying local’ campaign to boost Welsh economy

Plaid Cymru has launched a major new campaign to help boost the Welsh food and drink industry. The ‘I’m buying...

‘Be kind to yourself’ farming union president urges farmers
‘Be kind to yourself’ farming union president urges farmers

Farmers’ Union of Wales president Glyn Roberts is urging farmers to be kind to themselves, as many are feeling the...

Researchers develop real-time software to tackle powdery mildew on strawberry crops
Researchers develop real-time software to tackle powdery mildew on strawberry crops

Experts at the University of Hertfordshire, in collaboration with Agri-tech Services, have created a web-based, real-time system for calculating when...

UK’s largest lowland estate announces precision farming partnership
UK’s largest lowland estate announces precision farming partnership

The UK’s largest lowland estate has struck a deal with a precision farming firm to reduce food waste in the...

Paul Hemingway named as the new president of IAgrE
Paul Hemingway named as the new president of IAgrE

A visiting engineering lecturer at Harper Adams University has been named as the new president of the Institution of Agricultural...

Tighter prime cattle numbers and more balanced consumer demand supporting farmgate price
Tighter prime cattle numbers and more balanced consumer demand supporting farmgate price

April slaughter statistics show that Scottish abattoirs, on average, processed 15% fewer cattle per week than during March, according to...

Nearly half of UK veterinary practices report Covid-19 linked fall in turnover
Nearly half of UK veterinary practices report Covid-19 linked fall in turnover

Almost half of UK vets have seen between a quarter and half of their turnover slashed due to Covid-19 restrictions,...