Sustainability the focus of 2021's Love Lamb Week

Sheep farmers are being encouraged to get behind next month's Love Lamb Week
Sheep farmers are being encouraged to get behind next month's Love Lamb Week

This year's Love Lamb Week (LLW) is celebrating its seventh run with a focus on the sustainability of lamb production in the UK.

Running from 1- 7 September 2021, this year’s initiative will ensure consumers are reminded about how good lamb tastes.

It also seeks to reassure them on the sustainability of British sheep production and the role it plays in maintaining the UK's unique landscape.

As with previous years, the industry-wide initiative is supported by AHDB, the National Sheep Association (NSA), the NFU and NFU Scotland.

A new collection of digital assets has been developed by AHDB to encourage producers, chefs, butchers and retailers to celebrate lamb’s qualities on the plate and in the field.

One of the key components from last year’s campaign push is to return, with 3,000 promotional kits sent to high-street butchers and farm shops.

These kits will contain posters and recipe cards with key sustainability messages.

This year’s LLW campaign will also introduce the next wave of AHDB’s ‘We Eat Balanced’ campaign which re-launches this autumn.

Evaluation of January’s campaign showed a 4 percentage point shift in consumers believing that red meat - including lamb - was naturally produced.

Rebecca Miah, AHDB’s strategy director for lamb said: “British farmers understand managing their livestock in a considered and sustainable way is a key responsibility – which they continue to embrace.

"They are doing this with progress made in recent years in areas such as grassland management and genetics.

“Through the LLW campaign, the sheep sector can shine a light on the journey to deliver prime lamb cuts to consumers the length and breadth of the country.

"The best people, delivering the best produce.”

The initiative is also supported by industry bodies such as Meat Promotion Wales, Quality Meat Scotland, Livestock Meat Commission Northern Ireland, the Ulster Farmers’ Union and Red Tractor.