Welsh farmers and food exporters are celebrating the first shipment of PGI Welsh Lamb to arrive in the United States for over two decades.
Dunbia, which operates a processing plant in Carmarthenshire, has become the first processor in the UK to achieve approval by US authorities, leading to the first shipment being dispatched just days ago.
It follows a long campaign to lift restrictions on imports of lamb from the UK. A ban had been in place since 1989 due to concerns around BSE, commonly known as 'mad cow disease'.
The US government removed the final legal obstacles in December last year, leading to a process of approving individual processing plants.
Research has shown that the trade could be worth £20m a year to Welsh farmers and processors within 5 years of gaining a foothold in the market.
Market research also suggests that there could be a strong demand for Welsh lamb, particularly in high-end foodservice and retail outlets on the East Coast.
Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has worked since 2007 to achieve access to the potentially lucrative US market.
HCC chief executive, Gwyn Howells said: “Farmers and food industry leaders across Wales will be delighted that American consumers will, from today, be able to enjoy Welsh lamb.
“It’s appropriate that Wales is leading the way in opening up this market. HCC and Welsh government have been knocking on the door for 15 years."
He added: "Working with colleagues across the UK in recent times, we’ve been through a long and difficult process which has finally born fruit.
"We already have a presence in Canada, and Welsh lamb has a strong brand reputation for quality, traceability and the highest production standards in terms of welfare and environmental sustainability.
“We look forward to making the most of these new opportunities, starting in a few weeks’ time when the profile of Wales will be raised by the FIFA World Cup."
The US is proving a valuable market for red meat exports, with shipments of pork and beef worth more than £24 million in the first seven months of 2022.
According to HMRC, 930 tonnes of beef and 5,392 tonnes of pork were exported to the US between January and July, up 57% and 35% respectively on the previous year.
AHDB international market development director, Dr Phil Hadley said: “We are delighted that the first shipment of lamb has gone from Dunbia, marking a historic moment for red meat exports in Britain.
“We hope this order will be the first of many, allowing millions of US consumers to enjoy our world-renowned lamb, while bringing a major boost to our sheep producers and exporters.”
