'Lamby' to help regional sheep farms

A campaign to support North East sheep farmers by boosting demand for quality English lamb has been launched in the region – with the help of a £40,000 investment by One NorthEast.

The English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) today starts a regional marketing drive to stimulate increased demand for Quality Standard Mark domestic lamb in the wake of Foot and Mouth Disease and Bluetongue in southern England.

The campaign is designed to help improve market returns for the region's 1500 upland and 800 lowland sheep farms dealing with the effects of the disease restrictions imposed on the whole livestock sector – at a time when English lamb is at its best.

The ban on exports has led to a surplus in the domestic lamb market when, normally, around 30% would be sent overseas at this time of year. This, in turn, has caused a fall in the prices farmers can expect to achieve.

One NorthEast has invested £40,000 Single Programme funding into the regional campaign of media adverts, recipe booklets and mobile advertising on major roads, shopping centres and towns, which will use iconic images to make consumers in North East England more aware of Quality Standard Mark English Lamb. The regional support is part of the nationwide campaign which uses the famous 'Beefy' and 'Lamby' characters – based on England cricket legends Ian Botham and Allan Lamb.

Adrian Sherwood, senior rural specialist at One NorthEast, said: "Sheep farming is a key part of North East England's agriculture sector and this is an enormously difficult time for these businesses. Increasing domestic demand for quality English lamb is an important way of helping farmers to get the greatest possible returns at this time, so we're pleased to be supporting this campaign.

"Increasing the number of shoppers actively looking for Quality Standard Mark Lamb will also help its retailers, so there are benefits further along the supply chain too."

Steve Powdrill, North East Regional Manager of the English Beef and Lamb Executive, said: "Our national advertising campaign is currently promoting Quality Standard Lamb and pointing out to consumers the great taste and value of lamb particularly at this time of year. We're absolutely delighted to be able to work with One NorthEast to emphasise the importance to the rural economy here in this part of England of the agricultural sector, to reinforce our message promoting lamb and to point out to consumers here the merits of a great food that's produced right on their doorstep."

EBLEX's Quality Standard Mark for Beef and Lamb was developed to recognise that the key requirements for meat are the tenderness of the joint and the succulence. The Quality Standard Mark ensures that farms are accredited and also ensures supply chain standards are met and the meat is of a specific quality.

EBLEX began a renewed promotional push for Autumn Lamb in September, backed by celebrity chef Oliver Rowe from BBC2's Urban Chef series. This campaign in North East England will see high-impact advertising carried via advans throughout Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and the Tees Valley. The first week alone will include stops at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnwick, Ashington, Blyth, Cramlington, North Shields, South Shields, Sunderland, Gateshead and Newcastle.

For more information on the wider EBLEX 'Beefy' and 'Lamby' campaign or on the Quality Standard Mark, visit http://www.beefyandlamby.co.uk/