With lamb consumption doubling at Easter, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is calling for people to support British farmers and buy home-grown lamb when choosing their roast.
More than 11,000 tonnes of lamb was eaten in British households last Easter, and with this trend set to be repeated in 2015, NSA is keen to encourage consumers to check the packaging for British origin before purchasing.
Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive, says more and more UK farmers are making a conscious decision to time their lambing season earlier in the year in order to supply this Easter trade.
“It’s great to see supermarkets promoting the traditional message of eating lamb at Easter, and it’s not always necessarily true when they say only New Zealand lamb is available,” he adds. In the past there has not been much British lamb around at this time of year because it is a little early for the main lambing season in the UK, but, says Mr Stocker, “If you look for it, it’s definitely there.”
“It’s worth spending time sourcing British lamb; it tastes fabulous and supports British farmers,” he adds.”Easter offers families a great opportunity to come together, so it is worth taking some extra time to make sure you choose British lamb. It is a great way of supporting an industry which produces a product we all love.”
“Look for British lamb when in the supermarket, and ask if you can’t readily see it. There is no reason for retailers not to stock it during this busy Easter period. Butchers and farm shops will also supply great quality British lamb and it’s great for consumers to be able to buy home-grown food with great provenance and a story behind it,” says Mr Stocker.
He adds that consumers can support British farmers by looking for the Red Tractor logo, Union Jack or information on the label/meat counter when choosing their lamb.
