Let’s copy Australia! — Beef + Lamb NZ

“Absolutely, the day receives more attention each year and we would love to see it cemented in Kiwis’ calendars,” Slater told Rural News.

“We consider NZ lamb a national icon and we wanted to give Kiwis a day to celebrate it.

“It also gives us another opportunity to recognise the hard work of our farmers and processors and to tell their stories on this day.”

This year BLNZ is running a special event at the British High Commission, which gives another opportunity to tell the farmers’ and processors’ story to the media, food writers and government ministers.

“In addition, we will be encouraging people to either cook lamb at home with family and friends or perhaps try one of our Beef and Lamb Excellence Awards restaurants where they’ll be guaranteed a beautiful lamb dish.”

The day is aimed at both promoting domestic consumption and celebrating pride in one of our best products.

“February 15 was chosen because it marks the date 135 years ago when the first shipment of sheep meat left Otago bound for London on the Dunedin, a real milestone in establishing our thriving export community,” says Slater.

In Australia, National Lamb Day is a controversial event. As a response to declining lamb sales, the Australian  Meat and Livestock Corporation recruited former Aussie Rules footballer and media personality Sam Kekovich in 2005 to be its ‘Lambassador’. Kekovich’s first message – a 90-second diatribe – condemned vegetarians as un-Australian.

Annual advertising has continued to promote lamb for Australia Day, resulting in a spike in lamb sales in the week leading up to the national holiday. But the advertising has also provoked controversy and complaints.

NZ’s National Lamb Day was introduced in 2007 by then Agricultural Minister Jim Anderton and reintroduced last year in the hope of cementing the day as an annual event.