Cardiff Blues Pledge To Buy Welsh Lamb
The Cardiff Blues team is the latest high profile institution in Wales to pledge support to the 'Buy Welsh Lamb' campaign, which aims to increase lamb sales and build support for Welsh farmers.
The Blues will be choosing to eat Welsh Lamb more often in the coming months to help Welsh sheep farmers struggling to cope with the after-effects of the Summer's export ban.
Campaign organiser, Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC), the red meat industry-led organisation responsible for the promotion of Welsh red meat, hopes that the backing of The Blues will encourage more of the Welsh public to act now to support Welsh farmers - not by giving time or signing petitions, but by simply eating more Welsh Lamb than usual.
Martyn Williams, of Cardiff Blues, and an ex Wales and British & Irish Lions player, says; "Welsh Lamb is the best tasting lamb in the world, and myself and the rest of The Cardiff Blues are more than happy to eat more Welsh Lamb in the coming months to help Welsh farmers."
Gwyn Howells, Chief Executive of Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales, adds:
"Welsh Lamb is a national treasure, so everyone in Wales, indeed the UK, needs to show their support for our farmers by eating more Welsh Lamb. About a third of the lamb reared in Wales is exported to Europe, so we're saying that if everyone in Wales eats twice as much lamb as they usually do before the end of the year, the Welsh Lamb industry may just stand a fighting chance of recovering from the export ban."
The export ban on UK red meat to Europe was lifted in October, however being unable to export lambs to Europe during the key sheep breeding season has meant that many Welsh farmers have more lambs on their farms than they are able to feed or keep. Many farmers will face financial ruin if the whole of Wales doesn't rally behind them now and eat more Welsh Lamb.
As well as eating more Welsh Lamb, campaign supporters can also show their allegiance by putting up a 'Buy Welsh Lamb' poster. Posters can be downloaded from the 'Buy Welsh Lamb' website, www.buywelshlamb.co.uk. HCC is hoping other Welsh community groups, institutions and celebrities will be proud to support the campaign, and many Welsh chefs are already backing the campaign, including S4C chef Dudley Newbury and Market Kitchen celebrity chef Matt Tebbutt.
