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.

Proposals made to introduce a TB levy in a bid to save compensation
Proposals made to introduce a TB levy in a bid to save compensation

Farmers are debating the possibility of introducing a levy on farm meat or milk to be used towards tackling the...

DAERA to begin NI badger sett surveys in bid to tackle TB crisis
DAERA to begin NI badger sett surveys in bid to tackle TB crisis

Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture (DAERA) will begin badger sett surveys in two bovine tuberculosis (bTB) problem areas. It comes...

Farmers suffering ‘Brexit fatigue’ as talks process hits critical stage
Farmers suffering ‘Brexit fatigue’ as talks process hits critical stage

Ulster farmers are becoming sickened with Brexit talk, Ulster Farmers’ Union deputy president Ivor Ferguson told journalists at the UFU’s...

Rare Breed’s return takes lion’s share of TV viewing figures
Rare Breed’s return takes lion’s share of TV viewing figures

The return of ‘Rare Breed – A Farming Year’ was the most watched programme in Northern Ireland on its prime-time...

TB compensation proposals branded ‘legalised theft’ by outraged farmers
TB compensation proposals branded ‘legalised theft’ by outraged farmers

Proposals to cap TB compensation have been branded as ‘legalised theft‘ by Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) deputy president Victor Chestnutt....

3.5% pay rise on the cards for Northern farm workers
3.5% pay rise on the cards for Northern farm workers

The Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland has announced proposed increases to the minimum wage rates for agricultural workers. Following...

Countdown on to the NI Beef Expo – NI’s biggest technical beef event
Countdown on to the NI Beef Expo – NI’s biggest technical beef event

Organisers say the 2018 NI Beef Expo is set to be the biggest yet as the technical beef event –...

Salad giant Willowbrook secures €2.5m of additional business in ROI
Salad giant Willowbrook secures €2.5m of additional business in ROI

Ireland’s largest bagged salad producer Willowbrook Foods has secured an additional €2.5 million worth of business in the Irish market...

French dairy firm Lactalis to recall millions of powered milk products
French dairy firm Lactalis to recall millions of powered milk products

Millions of boxes of powdered baby formula are to be withdrawn from the market internationally after a Salmonella scare at a...

Poor heifer management could be costing your business
Poor heifer management could be costing your business

Waiting longer to calve heifers could be costing Northern Ireland farmers thousands according to researchers, with a three-month delay on...

Reminder: Important NI slurry dates you need to know
Reminder: Important NI slurry dates you need to know

With slurry tanks already nearing capacity following a wet summer and autumn, many farmers are eagerly anticipating the start of...

The future of arable: Can we compete with £60/t?
The future of arable: Can we compete with £60/t?

With a push towards lower subsidies, no likely advances towards GM and foreign competition on the cards – growers in...

NI planning update: Department ‘committed to sustainable growth’
NI planning update: Department ‘committed to sustainable growth’

Northern Ireland’s department of agriculture says it remains “committed to sustainable growth” and refutes farmer claims that agricultural planning applications...

Cows, koalas and kangaroos: Dairy farmer swaps Down for ‘Down Under’
Cows, koalas and kangaroos: Dairy farmer swaps Down for ‘Down Under’

Just two months ago Co. Down dairy farmer Heather Martin found out she would take part in the trip of...

Bird flu cases discovered in UK; flock keepers asked to remain alert
Bird flu cases discovered in UK; flock keepers asked to remain alert

Northern Irish flock keepers and poultry farmers have been warned to maintain high levels of biosecurity after 17 cases of...

Northern production hits November record as milk prices rise above 33p/L
Northern production hits November record as milk prices rise above 33p/L

Northern Ireland milk production has hit its highest ever November yield as dairy farmers produced 171 million more litres of the...

Growers urged to review 5-point arable farm ‘bucket list’ before Brexit
Growers urged to review 5-point arable farm ‘bucket list’ before Brexit

Tillage farmers – regardless of their size or location in the country – should focus on a five-point ‘bucket list’ to...

Brexit modelling: How the likely options will hit tillage
Brexit modelling: How the likely options will hit tillage

Post-Brexit subsidy changes will have a much bigger effect on farm viability than any other factor, according to one of...