The Ulster Farmers' Union (UFU) says it is more important than ever for consumers to show their support for 'Love Lamb Week' as the sheep sector continues to be hit hard by soaring input costs.

Working together on the promotion of the annual event, the UFU will focus on the production of lamb on farm, with the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) putting its efforts into the processing and cooking aspects, to provide that wholesome farm-to-fork story.

Commenting ahead of the campaign which is running from tomorrow (Thursday, September 1) until Wednesday (September 7), UFU beef and lamb chair, Pat McKay said:

"Sheep farmers have been enduring soaring production costs since early spring and it has put great financial pressure on their farm business.

"It supports the environment and allows us to make use of land that cannot grow crops, resulting in nutritious lamb products."

From a carbon sequestration perspective, McKay said that sheep production is a vital part of the climate change solution.

“Grazing sheep also helps us to maintain our iconic landscape and prevent wildfires. No product is greener or more environmentally friendly than sheep bred on the hills and finished on lowland pastures," he stated.

UFU hill farming chair, Alastair Armstrong added: "Our sheep farmers work around the clock to produce lamb to world-leading animal welfare and environmental standards that they're proud to uphold.

"Love Lamb Week is a great opportunity to focus on all the positives of lamb production from beginning to end," he continued.

"Through informative, interactive social media posts we're going to clearly demonstrate why sheep production on farm is a key part of maintaining our Northern Irish landscape, and a major contributor to the local community and wider Northern Ireland economy."

LMC will be profiling the health and environmental benefits of Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured (NIFQA) lamb over the coming days.

The commission’s communications manager, Lauren Patterson commented: "Lamb production is central to the agricultural economy in Northern Ireland.

“NIFQA lamb also boasts an impressive nutritional profile and as a highly versatile red meat, it can be enjoyed in a variety of dishes throughout the year.”