The Welsh government’s Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths, has visited a farm near Rhayader in Powys which is part of a drive to ensure that Welsh Lamb continues to lead the world in terms of quality.
Minister Griffiths visited Rob Lewis’s sheep farm at Glanelan, overlooking the Elan Valley reservoirs, to hear about progress on the Welsh Lamb Meat Quality Project, which is applying the latest science and recruiting a panel of hundreds of consumers to evaluate the factors that impact on the flavour, tenderness and nutritional content of lamb.
Lewis has supplied lambs to the project, which is part of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC)’s Red Meat Development Programme, and involves several partners across the supply chain from farmers and processors to consumers.
The current phase of the research is evaluating the impact on taste and nutritional quality of seasonality and different lamb genders, as well as the meat’s composition in terms of beneficial nutrients such as iron, zinc, and Vitamin D.
Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said:
“It was great to visit Rob Lewis’ farm in the stunning scenery of the Elan Valley, to discuss progress on HCC’s Red Meat Development Programme, which is funded by the EU and Welsh Government, and in particular the innovative Welsh Lamb Meat Quality Project.
“Our investment is designed to support people to produce top-quality and sustainably produced food.
“The early phases of the Welsh Lamb Meat Quality Project have already produced interesting results in terms of the nutritional benefits of lamb reared the Welsh Way in mainly grass-based farming systems.”
