Four nations join forces to put British lamb on the menu

Love Lamb Week will return from 1–7 September with a coordinated campaign involving levy bodies, farmers, retailers and meat organisations across all four UK nations.

Quality Meat Scotland will lead the 2026 campaign alongside the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales and the Livestock and Meat Commission.

The National Sheep Association, National Farmers’ Union, NFU Scotland, Ulster Farmers’ Union and Red Tractor are among the other organisations supporting the week.

Now in its 11th year, Love Lamb Week will again use the Make it Lamb campaign.

This year’s activity will focus on the farmers and production methods behind lamb, alongside practical recipes intended to demonstrate its versatility.

Emma Heath, director of marketing at Quality Meat Scotland, said: “Love Lamb Week is always a fantastic opportunity to work alongside our fellow UK levy boards and organisations across Scotland’s red meat supply chain to celebrate the quality and versatility of lamb.”

She said the industry hoped to encourage more consumers to prepare lamb at home during late summer and autumn.

A promotional toolkit will be distributed to levy bodies, farming organisations, retailers, processors and other industry groups.

It will contain updated messages, Make it Lamb logos and social media material featuring farmers, landscapes and recipes. Participating organisations will be encouraged to share the resources before and during the week.

Love Lamb Week was founded by Cumbrian sheep farmer Rachel Lumley in 2015 to promote lamb during its peak season and improve understanding of its production.

The National Sheep Association has been closely involved since the campaign began.

Farmers and other sheep-sector workers will be invited to share their experiences, photographs and stories online. Organisers said this would highlight the contribution sheep farming makes to food production, rural communities and the UK’s landscapes.

Each levy body will run activity tailored to its respective nation.

In Scotland, QMS will place a Scotch Lamb focus across the Make it Scotch website and social media channels. Its accounts will be temporarily rebranded as Make it Lamb, with material featuring farmers, production methods and recipe ideas.

In England, AHDB will use its Simply Beef & Lamb channels to publish videos featuring Charlotte Kingham — head butcher at The Farmer’s Dog and a Great British Bake Off contestant — alongside farmer Mike Wilkins.

AHDB is also working with major retailers on packaging stickers and online promotion. Farmers, independent butchers and retailers will be offered free banners, stickers and children’s activity sheets, while educational resources will be available through the Food – a fact of life website.

In Wales, HCC will run television, video-on-demand and digital advertising featuring farmer stories and Welsh Lamb recipes.

More than 30,000 subscribers will also receive campaign material through its consumer newsletter. HCC is exploring additional influencer, retail and on-pack activity.

In Northern Ireland, LMC will promote Farm Quality Assured lamb through its website, social media accounts and a dedicated recipe page.

The organisation will work with local farmers, influencers, ABP, the Ulster Farmers’ Union and the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster. Its plans include a consumer sampling event at Belfast City Hall and a launch featuring a Farm Quality Assured lamb producer.

Farmers and industry businesses can follow and contribute to the campaign through @LoveLambWeek on Facebook and @LoveLambUK on Instagram.