Our farmers are struggling to sell their top quality British Lamb so now is a good time to support them in British Lamb Week. Ideas for recipes were helpfully set out by local chefs in the Courant last week: http://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/Food-for-thought-in-British-Lamb-Week-6fb86a0a-67e2-4545-a437-4383153fe3ab-ds
Farmers are faced with
- reduced European demand due to the severe recession in Europe [traditionally we export 40% of UK sheep]
- and a high pound,
- a ban on British and other European meat by the Russian market, as a result of a sanctions war
- plus foreign imports being bought by the likes of Tesco, which further squeezes the domestic suppliers.
Lamb is as a result £20 per head cheaper this year, which is good news for the customer, but tough for farmers.
I am a supporter of our local farmers so I will be buying British lamb from a local butcher, and would urge you to do the same. When you do so you buy the best from a locally sourced and expertly looked after herd. As always with everything from Post Offices to local bookshops, butchers and even farmers ... use it or lose it! They derserve and need our support and each of us genuinely can make a difference with our purchases.
More details here of the wider campaign: http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/news-detail.php?NewsID=330
