Love Lamb Week calls for a break with tradition

Lamb producers must pull together to change tradition and put lamb back on plates all year round.

That’s the key call as Love Lamb Week returns for its fourth year from 1 to 7 September 2018.

While tradition sees the country eating more lamb at Easter, Britain typically produces the highest volume of lamb during the last six months of the year, with a peak of supply from September through to December.

National Sheep Association Chief Executive, Phil Stocker, said: “Later in the year is a great time to buy flavoursome lamb. Just like daffodils in bloom, typically the further north in the country you go, the later in the year the lambs are ready for market because of the seasons and the length of our country.

“Tradition has conditioned us to buy lamb at Easter and in the spring, with many shoppers probably unaware that the volume of our home produced lamb increases towards the autumn. With Love Lamb Week landing in the first week of September, it’s a perfect time for our industry to remind people to eat lamb year round.”

While aiming to change tradition, 12 young sheep farmers also want to champion lamb and its sustainability.

Two thirds of the breeding flock and some lambs are produced on Britain’s moorlands, marshlands and mountains. This land is classified by the EU as Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) but makes up some of the country’s most cherished landscapes.

Isle of Man based young sheep farmer Kirree Kermode, aged 32, explained: “When people pick up a lamb leg steak in a supermarket, rugged coastlines and heather covered moorlands don’t typically spring to mind – but there’s a good chance that’s where the lamb they’re buying has been produced. I’d like consumers to be aware that when they’re buying lamb they’re supporting some of our country’s most beautiful countryside.

“On the Isle of Man we start lambing in April, with most of our produce ready for market in July. This helps us avoid the worst of the weather and get the most from the grass growth, with our lambs being almost 100 per cent grass fed. I’m proud to help people learn how important lamb is to our environment and our economy, and I’d encourage everyone to get involved with Love Lamb Week.”

The week is an industry-wide initiative involving the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the National Sheep Association (NSA), the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Red Tractor, HCC in Wales, LMC Northern Ireland and QMS in Scotland.

Bringing the support of NFU members and sheep farmers, Livestock Board Chairman, Richard Findlay said: “Farming in the heart of the North York Moors National Park, I’ve always believed helping shoppers understand that when they buy lamb they are helping to support our countryside.

“Lamb is sustainably produced, and we’d like the country’s shoppers, chefs and supermarkets to help support our rural communities and rugged landscapes by buying lamb – cooking it isn’t difficult either, a lamb leg steak it can be on the plate in less than 30 minutes as part of a delicious recipe.”

Farmers, producers and retailers can support Love Lamb Week by downloading materials and recipes from AHDB Beef and Lamb’s dedicated webpage beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/marketing/love-lamb-week-2018

Shoppers can also get involved with the campaign by visiting SimplyBeefandLamb.co.uk.

When sharing posts of delicious lamb recipes and sheep in stunning locations on social media, please use #LoveLamb and #LoveLambWeek to help raise awareness.

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Notes to editor

Photographs to support the campaign can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.

Main Love Lamb Week 2018 campaign images

English sheep producer images

Welsh sheep producer images

Scottish sheep producer images

Northern Ireland sheep producer images

Love Lamb Week recipe and photographs

Richard Findlay NFU photograph

The NSA Next Generation Sheep Farmers are all supporting Love Lamb Week 2018 and available for interview.

Love Lamb Week, was started by Cumbrian sheep farmer Rachel Lumley in 2015. It is now organised by AHDB Beef & Lamb and the National Sheep Association, in partnership with the NFU and Red Tractor. Driven by farmers, the week has gained support across the country, catching the attention of the national press and broadcast media and getting interest from top chefs.

Lamb Regional Data

AHDB is a statutory levy board, funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain. Our purpose is to inspire our farmers, growers and industry to succeed in a rapidly changing world. We equip the industry with easy to use, practical know-how which they can apply straight away to make better decisions and improve their performance. Established in 2008 and classified as a Non-Departmental Public Body, it supports the following industries: meat and livestock (cattle, sheep and pigs) in England; horticulture, milk and potatoes in Great Britain; and cereals and oilseeds in the UK. AHDB’s remit covers 72 per cent of total UK agricultural output. Further information on AHDB can be found atwww.ahdb.org.uk

Contact

For further information contact Sarah McArthur, AHDB Senior PR and Media Manager, on 024 7647 8929 or sarah.mcarthur@ahdb.org.uk

@AHDB_BeefLamb

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beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk