WITH LOVE Lamb Week fast approaching, the National Sheep Association is urging farmers to persuade their local shops and restaurants to join the annual campaign.

Now in its seventh year, Love Lamb Week, running between September 1 and 7, encourages consumers to add UK lamb to their shopping baskets during its peak season of availability.

The campaign has previously caught the attention of high profile celebrity chefs as well as mainstream media, but this year NSA hopes farmers can really get behind promoting the nutritional and sustainable benefits of UK lamb.

NSA communications officer Katie James commented: “As plans are secured for what is expected to be another positive week of the Love lamb campaign, NSA would like to see local farming communities working together to encourage the consumption of lamb.

“There are so many excellent resources being produced by our UK levy boards to support this, now is a great time for farmers to reach out to independent retailers, farm shops, butchers, restaurants and pubs to discuss how they can work together to share the key messages of the campaign encouraging consumption of a delicious and nutritious meat that is produced sustainably using environmentally friendly farming methods. If each farmer can ask their local establishment ‘What are you doing for Love Lamb Week this year?’ the reach of the campaign could be grown even further,” she enthused.

Tool kits to support promotional activity are available from all UK levy boards and NSA is suggesting farmers make their local retailers and restaurateurs aware of the availability of these to help them with ideas on how they can get involved and promote the campaign.

The planned promotions of the UK levy boards were shared at an NSA Breakfast Club webinar to create a positive start to the Love Lamb build up. Mrs James continued: “The NSA Breakfast Club is a monthly fixture that covers a wide range of topics. NSA was pleased to be joined for the August session by AHDB Beef and Lamb, Quality Meat Scotland, Livestock and Meat Commission of Northern Ireland and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales sharing their campaigns for Love Lamb Week and into autumn 2021 also.

"Sheep farmers joining the webinar were encouraged that the levy boards are working to reach far and wide and encourage more consumers to add, and importantly, to keep adding delicious lamb to their shopping baskets. We can all play a role in amplifying that message but making sure everyone knows when Love Lamb Week is and that they can do to take part.”

More information on Love Lamb Week is available at www.nationalsheep.org.uk/lovelamb