The sheep industry is to benefit from a €10m campaign to boost lamb consumption over the next three years after a successful bid for European money from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

The campaign is a joint venture between France, England and Ireland, and the outcome means that AHDB secured a €10m campaign for a €1m investment, to support the lamb sector.

It follows the success of the Tasty Easy Fun lamb campaign, jointly co-funded by the EU to the tune of €7.7m; run by AHDB in England, Interbev in France, and Bord Bia in Ireland, across six European countries.

The new funding was revealed in Paris by the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, chairman Maurice Huet from Interbev, and AHDB Beef and Lamb chairman, Adam Quinney.

“Our shared commitment and efforts to tackle the decline in consumption in this sector meant we secured a €10m deal, with an investment of only €1m," said Mr Quinney. "This is great news – and great value – for our producers.

“It emphasises the great results that can be achieved working closely with our European partners. Brexit or not, our industry lives on and we need to look for innovative and valuable partnership arrangements to continue to leverage funds to promote lamb as a healthy, versatile and nutritious protein.”