The sheep industry will be celebrating all that is great about UK lamb as farmers and industry leaders take part in events as part of Love Lamb Week 2018 from Saturday, September 1 to 7.

The Love Lamb campaign will this year aim to change perceptions of when to eat lamb, emphasising that the highest volume of UK product is actually available during the last six months of the year despite many consumers typically choosing to enjoy lamb around Easter time.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) will work with AHDB Beef & Lamb and other UK levy bodies, and its membership of sheep farmers will be using social media and local events to promote themselves and their fantastic produce during the week.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “Tradition has conditioned us to buy lamb at Easter and in the spring, with shoppers probably unaware that the volume of our home produced lamb increases towards the autumn. With Love Lamb Week landing in the first week of September, it’s a perfect time for our industry to remind people to enjoy lamb year round.”

Lending support to the campaign are the NSA Next Generation Ambassadors, a group of young sheep farmers keen to open the eyes of consumers who may not be aware of the environment in which their lamb is produced and all that the sheep sector does to protect and enhance it.

Next Generation Ambassador and Welsh sheep farmer from Ceredigion Bleddyn Davies comments: “On the farm we do lots to promote a healthy environment. We produce all of our lamb off of grass which adds to the great flavour which has gained Welsh Lamb it's PGI status. We preserve and maintain all hedges on the farm, encouraging wildlife habitats. We also have a stream side corridor where all types of plants and animals thrive while protecting the river from over erosion and maintain water quality. Farming is more than just food production we maintain the environment allowing the public to enjoy the countryside in all it's glory.”

Look out for plenty of activity in the first week of September on social media #LoveLamb and #LoveLambWeek.

NSA is also encouraging individual farmers to get involved at whatever level they can, be that hosting or supporting local or on-farm events or by sharing their delicious lamb recipe ideas on social media. A range of resources to support this are available via nationalsheep.org.uk as well as further recipe ideas and images available to download at beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk.