- US deal expected be worth £37m over five years for the
British farming sector.
- British lamb producers now have access to a market of over
300 million people.
- Latest announcement in a series of new trade opportunities
for British farmers, including beef exports to the USA in
2020.
British lamb has now been
exported to the USA for the first time in over 20 years.
The United States Department
for Agriculture (USDA) agreed to open the market for British lamb
last year, and following the necessary inspections, the first
consignment was flown to the USA this week containing lamb
produced by meat processors Dunbia from its site in
Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Industry estimates the US-market will be worth £37 million in the
first five years of trade, opening up access for British farmers
to a market of over 300 million American consumers to enjoy the
United Kingdom’s world-renowned lamb, part of the government’s
work to boost exports and grow our economy.
The deal agreed last year comes
alongside the wider efforts across government to drive growth and
open up new opportunities for the British food and farming
sector, in turn boosting jobs, skills and productivity across the
country. This includes capitalising on new trade freedoms outside
the EU through export opportunities, ensuring that premium
products are not just enjoyed at home but championed around the
world.
Environment Secretary
said:
“Tucking into roast lamb for
Sunday lunch is quintessentially British – and now millions of
American families will now be able to enjoy our top-quality lamb
too.
“The opportunity for growth for
British food is enormous – bringing jobs, skills and prosperity
across the nation. With our mission to unlock growth, we will
continue to secure more opportunities for our farmers and food
producers to benefit from new markets.”
Trade Secretary
said:
“Seeing our world-class lamb
back on American menus is fantastic news for our farmers. Now
they can sell to a consumer market of over 300 million people,
which support jobs and growth in a vital British industry. It
also shows our two nations working together to remove barriers
and boost trade, building on recent resolutions on steel tariffs,
and whisky exports.”
Dr Richard Irvine, UK
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, said:
“This represents a major
achievement for the UK lamb industry. We are proud of our food
safety and the quality of food we are able to produce.
“Gaining access for the export
of British lamb to the USA represents another success for British
industry, in addition to the existing agreements enabling beef
and pork exports from the UK to the USA.”
AHDB International
Market Development Director Dr Phil Hadley
said:
“We are delighted to see this
first order of UK lamb heading to the US, following years of
negotiations and hard work by AHDB, UK government and the wider
industry to get our lamb back on American plates after an absence
of more than 20 years.
“We hope this order will be the
first of many, allowing millions of US consumers to enjoy our
world-renowned lamb, while bringing a major boost to UK sheep
producers and exporters, who have another valuable market in
which to sell their products.”
This announcement follows a
string of export successes in the last two years including the
first export of beef to the USA in decades and the first ever
export of British pork to Chile.
Phil Stocker Chief
Executive of the National Sheep Association
said:
“This is fantastic news for the
British sheep industry and it comes after many years of hard
work, by Government and their departments, by AHDB and devolved
nations levy bodies, by NSA, and by the industry operators who
have made it happen. The success of the British sheep
industry is underpinned by market opportunities and access to the
US will offer just that, building on what is already a healthy
demand for our high quality British lamb and sheepmeat here and
overseas.”
The Small Ruminant Rule that
banned British and EU lamb imports for over 20 years was
rescinded by the US Government in January of
this year.
