Livestock marts across Scotland will be hosting lamb lunches for farmers, families and school children this November as part of the celebrations for Lamb for St Andrew’s Day.
Marking the 16th year of the industry campaign led by the Institute of Auctioneers in Scotland and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) to make Scotch Lamb the dish for the patron saint’s day on 30th November, many of Scotland’s auction marts will be serving a range of lamb dishes in their canteens and cafés.
“Lamb for St Andrew’s Day is a chance every year to highlight all that is good about lamb produced in Scotland,” says Neil Wilson, Executive Director of the Institute of Auctioneers in Scotland. “The aim of the campaign is for sheep farmers, marts, retailers and restauranteurs to all benefit from greater sales of lamb by making St Andrew’s Day as closely tied to Scotch Lamb as Burns Night is to haggis. It’s excellent to see the tangible impact of the campaign through the rise in sales of lamb in November each year.”
Since Lamb for St Andrew’s Day started in 2010, community events have chosen to celebrate St Andrew’s Day with lamb, and chefs and restaurants across Scotland have highlighted lamb on their menus on 30th November. Tens of thousands of young people have been introduced to lamb in home economics classes and the school canteen, as well as through RHET visits and QMS’ activity with schools to explain the story of lamb production and nutritional benefits.
“Marts have always been at the heart of their communities, and this year’s lamb lunches are the perfect excuse to bring the local community together and celebrate all that our producers and marts do to contribute to food production in Scotland and to put lamb on plates across the world,” adds Mr Wilson.
Oban Mart will be hosting a sit-down lamb lunch for 40 with NFU Scotland and the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET). This has become a regular and popular event in the autumn calendar in Argyll, bringing farmers and the wider community together.
At Stirling Agricultural Centre, United Auctions is welcoming local school children for a day with RHET to give pupils a first-hand experience of how sheep are marketed through the live ring as well as a cookery demonstration so they can try different lamb dishes. On St Andrew’s Day itself (Monday 30 November), United Auctions is organising a lamb lunch to coincide with its 15,000 sheep sale.
Lanark Mart, run by Lawrie & Symington, is hosting a community lunch for its customers. Craig Wilson Ltd will be serving its popular roast lamb rolls at Ayr to buyers and sellers at the ringside during its prime sheep sale on 30thth November.
The Institute and QMS will be at Scottish Parliament on 25th November, where a roast lamb lunch will be served, to engage with MSPs to highlight the importance and value of the lamb sector to Scotland’s economy, and why Scotland’s climate and landscape are so well suited to it.
This builds on previous activity with Lamb for St Andrew’s Day recognised in the Scottish Parliament, Scotch Lamb lunches served in the Holyrood canteen and a motion lodged recognising its importance to Scotland’s farming sector.
Check with your local mart what will be on this St Andrew’s Day.