National Lamb Day Returns on February 15
National Lamb Day returns this Sunday, 15 February, with Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc calling on Kiwis to fire up their barbecues and celebrate the people and the product that put New Zealand on the world map.
The usual key political suspects were there: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Labour leader Chris Hipkins and Foreign Affairs Minister and NZ First leader Winston Peters, as well as a sprinkling of rural-based MPs.
The past two years have seen the industry dogged by low prices and some terrible weather events, but now prices have lifted and the outlook is essentially positive.
Host of the event Agriculture Minister Todd McClay told the audience there was good reason to celebrate given that lamb exports have now reached $4 billion and rising. He praised the efforts of our sheep farmers, describing them as hard working and contributing significantly to the economy of NZ. He also had a few comments on the value of the NZ/India FTA to NZ - especially sheep farmers.
"It is as simple as this. We are country of 5 million people, India has 1.4 billion people. When it enters in force from day one, you will no longer pay a 33% tariff on your lamb exports - your tariff rate will be zero," he says.
McClay says there are more than 500 million consumers who eat meat and they deserve to eat some of the highest quality lamb in the world. Finally, he invited guests to enjoy the lamb, saying "it was slimming".
Meat Industry Association chair Nathan Guy described the event as a reminder to all politicians and policymakers in Wellington about the importance of the red meat industry to the NZ economy, given that it accounts for $12 billion in exports.
Read More:
- National Lamb Day Returns on February 15
- National Lamb Day set for 2026 return
- Celebrating lamb's proud heritage
He says considering despite the vagaries of the geopolitical situation, the fluctuating exchange rate and some domestic policies, the industry does an amazing job and produces a fantastic product.
"The day is raising a celebration toast to our farmers and processor who have been so successful over the last 144 years," he says.
B+LNZ chair Kate Acland says it was great to see all the political parties celebrating something they all have in common - a good lamb chop. She says the day was a chance to recognise the vision and entrepreneurial spirit of the men who got those first carcases of sheepmeat to the UK.
"They laid the groundwork for the multi-billion dollar industry we have today that benefits farmers and all New Zealanders," she says.
Acland praised successive governments and their officials for the work they have done to secure markets for the meat that farmers produce. She also acknowledged the efforts of meat processors and their marketing people for their creativeness and agility in getting good prices for farmers.
"Given the challenges the industry has gone through over the past few years, it's now a good time to be a farmer," she says.
 |
|---|
|
For the National Lamb Day, the Speaker's Lawn at Parliament was turned into a party. |
Pollies Galore
Celebrating National Lamb Day also allowed MPs to show their colours - especially given that an election is coming.
While there may have been politicking on the sidelines, there were obvious displays of unity around the importance of lamb to the economy.
Steve Able of the Greens and National's Suze Redmayne chatted freely; Winston Peters was first in the queue to get a lamb chop; Miles Anderson, Barbara Kuriger, Jo Luxton and Damien O'Connor were all part of the crowd.
Christopher Luxon worked the gathering and extolled the virtues of lamb and the significance of what happened 144 years ago. He talked about the importance of FTAs, especially the latest one with India, and also the benefits that have flowed from similar agreements with the UK, the EU and the Middle East.
NZ First ag spokesman, Associate Agriculture Minister and farmer, Mark Patterson, described the day as a really great occasion celebrating the fine heritage of the sheepmeat industry. He says this coincides with the upbeat mood of people at the event.
"There are real feel-good factors with everyone here. There is now a very positive attitude towards farmers and there has been a major turn in sentiment to them," he says.
Patterson noted the positive mood of farmers and says some of that is due to politicians who have got Wellington onside with the rural community.
