SCOTTISH FARMERS PERSUADE SHOPPERS TO BUY TASTY SCOTCH LAMB

Farmers and the Union’s Board are great ‘lambassadors’
Scotland’s farmers are calling on the Scottish public to take the lamb taste test and rediscover what a fantastic, versatile, tasty meat Scotch lamb is.
These are difficult times for Scotland’s sheep producers – prices for lamb are at a six year low – but by tempting more Scottish consumers to try locally-produced Scotch lamb, farmers are looking to reinvigorate consumption of this wonderful product.
Farmers are taking the initiative straight to their customers. This Saturday (22 August) North East farmers will be at the Aldi store in Inverurie, with lamb steaks and burgers on the menu for shoppers to try.
On Sunday (23 August) there will be more promotional activity from farmers on Buchanan Street in Glasgow. From noon to 2pm they will be showcasing a range of Scottish and British produce, including lamb and dairy.
This all builds on the great work being done by the industry’s annual ‘Wham Bam Thank You Lamb’ campaign currently running on TV, radio and in newspapers. That activity reaches a peak with the ‘Love Scotch lamb’ weekend on 5 and 6 September when the Scottish public is being invited to join farmers, butchers and chefs around the country to celebrate all that is wonderful about Scotch lamb.
Keen not to miss out on the great taste of Scotch lamb, NFU Scotland’s board put barbequed lamb cutlets and Scotch mutton pies on the menu for their meeting at NFUS HQ near Edinburgh today.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, NFU Scotland President Allan Bowie said: “The Scottish public are our greatest asset when it comes to backing Scottish food and farmers.
“Scotch lamb is the tastiest in the world and Scottish farmers, quite rightly, want to go out there and tell Scottish consumers – whether in a supermarket, a butcher’s shop or a restaurant – about the quality of their produce.
“Farmers are being hit hard by falling prices but they are taking the initiative, have complete faith in all the food they produce and are getting around the country to speak to shoppers this weekend. They will be out again in a few weeks’ time, making sure as many consumers as possible hear the story we have to tell about Scotch lamb.
“That work will complement the two-month long ‘Wham Bam Thank You Lamb!’ currently running on TV, radio and in the papers. This year’s campaign is set to reach more than 90 percent of Scottish adults and looks to build on last year’s very successful run which boosted sales of lamb in Scotland by 11 percent.
“By acting as ‘lambassadors’, and supporting the activities planned around the ‘Love Scotch Lamb Weekend’ on 5 and 6 September, farmers themselves are playing their part in efforts to drive consumption, obtain a longer lasting commitment from supermarkets and caterers to Scotch lamb and secure fairer returns back to farmers and crofters for the work that goes in to putting Scotch lamb on our plates.” Ends