Love Lamb Week has commenced today as part of an industry initiative seeking to promote British lamb following a year of market turbulence.
The annual campaign, which begins in early September for one week, promotes British lamb by teaming up with popular farming influencers on social media.
Farmers are being encouraged to spur on their local community to get involved in promotional activities for the annual campaign.
Love Lamb Week also aims to highlight to consumers the advantages of the UK climate, with its rainfall and lush grass, making it the ideal place to produce lamb.
Promoting the meat during the initiative will be farmer influencers who will showcase the natural landscape and sustainability credentials of their own farms as well as cooking up their favourite shepherd's pie recipe.
And major retailers will be promoting Love Lamb Week on their websites and consumers will find on-pack stickers in store on mince, lamb chops, shoulder joints, and meatballs.
The industry-wide initiative is supported by industry groups including AHDB, Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales), NFU and Red Tractor, among others.
It’s #LoveLambWeek!??#LoveLambWeek was originally set up by Rachel Lumley, in 2015, in reaction to falling lamb consumption and depressed lamb prices??
— National Sheep Association (@natsheep) September 1, 2023
Rachel recognised the need for planned promotion to encourage people to buy British lamb??
Get involved using #LoveLambWeek pic.twitter.com/r3F2XvLvX7
Here's to all our British sheep farmers!
— NFYFC (@NFYFC) September 1, 2023
Help to celebrate #LoveLambWeek with @AHDB_BeefLamb:
?? Use the hashtag in your posts.
?? If you're a sheep farmer, share video updates, highlighting the sustainable messages of UK lamb production
?? Post photos of tasty lamb dinners. pic.twitter.com/Q5HhwkAssH
It’s Day 1 of #LoveLambWeek!??
— Welsh Government Rural Affairs (@WGRural) September 1, 2023
In Wales, we’re world renowned for our high-quality, sustainably produced @WelshLamb_PGI thanks to our fantastic sheep farmers who truly are experts in their field!
We’ll be posting delicious recipes all week so keep an eye on this channel! pic.twitter.com/BeORcX8ASG
A spokesperson for AHDB said: "Love Lamb Week will shine a light on the sustainability of UK sheep production while also reminding consumers of the exceptional taste and quality that UK lamb brings to the dinner table.
"There are lots of ways you could raise awareness of Love Lamb Week and champion the hard work of sheep farmers, who produce naturally delicious lamb while maintaining the country's unique landscape.
"Use #LoveLambWeek and #ShepherdsAndTheirPies hashtags in your posts, whether you're sharing video updates on the daily work you do on farm, highlighting the sustainable messages of UK lamb production or posting photos of tasty lamb dinners.
"You can also tag the Love Lamb accounts in your posts, and they'll be able to see and comment."
National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive, Phil Stocker added that the campaign was a great opportunity to champion the UK sheep sector.
"That includes promoting the delicious product of some of the UK’s native and lesser-known breeds, and the special eating qualities they can offer consumers."
