Love Lamb Week to promote sheep farming’s green credentials

The environmental credentials of lamb is to be the leading feature of the 2021 Love Lamb Week initiative, with one farming union insisting that sheep farming is part of the climate change solution.

The campaign, backed by industry bodies including the National Sheep Association and levy body AHDB, launches on Wednesday (1 September) as the UK prepares to host the UN Climate Change Conference.

See also: Red meat the ‘Welsh way’ can be part of climate solution

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) said this provided an important opportunity for agriculture to “lead the conversation” on sustainable production systems.

UFU beef and lamb chairman Pat McKay said raising awareness of sustainable sheep farming that supports the environment was more important now than ever.

“Sheep farming, like all other agriculture sectors, is part of the climate change solution,” he said.

Part of the messaging will be to show that sheep bred on the hills and finished on lowland pastures is among the most environmentally friendly systems.

The UFU will use social media posts during Love Lamb Week to demonstrate why sheep production is a key part of maintaining the landscape, and a major contributor to the economy.

Welsh promotions

In Wales, promotions around the campaign have been designed to help the foodservice and catering sector get back on its feet after the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic.

Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), the Welsh government and foodservice supplier Compass Cymru are promoting lamb recipes in government workplace restaurants and recipe cards will be available in butchers.

Face of Love Lamb

The Love Lamb steering group, in conjunction with the NSA, is also searching for a farmer who is happy to share their working life with the British public via social media to help inform and educate on sheep production and its environmental and nutritional credentials.

The new face of the campaign will be required to take on the social media activity of the Love Lamb accounts on Facebook and Twitter for the next 12 months.

An online application form is available on the NSA website for potential applicants