Scottish auction marts serve lamb lunches in November for St Andrew's Day campaign
Livestock auction marts across Scotland are serving lamb lunches throughout November to promote Scotch Lamb ahead of St Andrew's Day. The industry campaign is now in its 16th year.
Livestock auction marts across Scotland are serving lamb lunches in their canteens and cafés throughout November to draw attention to Scotch Lamb and boost its sales. The events are tied to St Andrew's Day on 30 November, the day of Scotland's patron saint, and farmers, families and school children are invited.
The campaign has run for 16 years and is organised jointly by the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), the body representing the Scottish red meat sector. Its goal is to make Scotch Lamb the signature dish of St Andrew's Day.
IAAS executive director Neil Wilson said the aim is for sheep farmers, marts, retailers and restaurateurs to benefit from higher lamb sales by linking St Andrew's Day with Scotch Lamb as closely as Burns Night is linked with haggis. He said the campaign's impact is visible in rising lamb sales each November, and stressed that marts are at the heart of local communities.
Events around the country
Since 2010, communities have chosen to celebrate St Andrew's Day with lamb, and restaurants across Scotland feature it on their menus on 30 November. Lamb is also promoted in schools through home economics classes, where tens of thousands of students have been taught about its benefits. Visits with the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) and QMS school activity teach young people about lamb production and its nutritional value.
At Stirling Agricultural Centre, United Auctions will host local school children with RHET to show how sheep are sold through the live ring, along with a cookery demonstration of different lamb dishes.
Oban Mart will host a sit-down lamb lunch for 40 with NFU Scotland and RHET, a regular event in the autumn calendar in Argyll. Lanark Mart, run by Lawrie & Symington, is holding a community lunch for customers. Craig Wilson Ltd. will serve roast lamb rolls at its Ayr mart during the prime sheep sale on 30 November.
Members of the Scottish Parliament will also be able to enjoy lamb lunches on 25 November, when the Institute and QMS will be at Holyrood to highlight the value of the lamb sector to Scotland's economy.
