THE advent of spring was an appropriate time for the launch in Skipton of the county's newest initiative - Yorkshire Lamb.

Meat sold under the Yorkshire Lamb name guarantees customers that their lamb is Yorkshire born and bred and thus - naturally - high quality.

Thursday June 1 was the date circled on the calendar for the new product to be available in shops and, hopefully, gracing many Sunday lunch tables by the 4th.

The Yorkshire Lamb Producers' Club was formed last year after a meeting at Skipton Auction Mart, the venue for the launch. Its aims were to try and alleviate the crisis facing hill and sheep farmers in the district by allowing them to get the best possible prices for their product.

Membership of the club is open to farmers both inside and outside Yorkshire, though registered breeders must be from within the county. All farms are assured through Farm Assured British Beef and Lamb (FABBL).

For a carcass to qualify the lamb must have been born in Yorkshire and have spent at least one grazing season - six months - in the region and then returned to Yorkshire before being processed.

A Yorkshire Lamb Limited company has now been established to act as the club's agent. It will manage the processing of the lamb and secure contracts with retailers throughout the UK and beyond.

The scheme is supported by Craven District Council, Craven Cattle Marts, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and the Northern Dales Meat Initiative.

With the slogan of "A natural and wholesome product" and the backing of the quintessential rural Yorkshire image of green meadows and a wild, rugged landscape, chairman of Assured British Meat, Lord Lindsay, branded the first carcass with the official seal of quality.

He said he was sure the initiative would be a success because of the product's assurance of quality.

Jeremy Eaton of the Yorkshire Lamb Producers' Club and also acting general manager of Craven Cattle Marts said it was a new chapter in the production and marketing of lamb giving new hope to livestock farmers.

"For the first time, from June 1, we will be able to offer suppliers and consumers quality assured lamb for 52 weeks a year. It will be Yorkshire wide, not just the Dales."

Mr Eaton also expressed the importance of consumer trust. "The initiative is compounded by modern assurance schemes guaranteeing quality, consistency and, for the first time, full traceability as the lambs are ear tagged at birth.

"By choosing Yorkshire lamb, consumers' high expectations for food safety and animal welfare will be met," said Mr Eaton.

Heather Hancock, chief executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, expressed the authority's desire that the lot of the small farmer is improved in Yorkshire.

It is hoped now that more farmers from throughout Yorkshire will become members of the Yorkshire Lamb Producers' Club to join the 100 plus already there in order to achieve a guaranteed continuation of supply of quality lamb throughout the year.

A seminar was also held during the launch by Craven Counts, a regeneration partnership.

It brought together food producers, processors and retailers and restaurateurs with the purpose of informing them how quality assurance can be a selling point, and to detail the benefits of working in collaboration.

Senior economic development officer at Craven District Council Caroline Taukulis said the seminar had been successful in demonstrating the initiative's objectives, such as working in collaboration and learning of the supermarkets' perspective on the scheme.

"The distinct message which came across was the need to meet customers' needs in such areas as consistent quality and no quibble money-back guarantees," said Mrs Taukulis.

Another point highlighted at the event was the need to have a sensible pricing structure in order for producers to make a living.

o Last month farmers in Malhamdale combined to provide lamb direct from the dale. Natural Dales Lamb is provided from within a few miles of where it is bred, raised and slaughtered, rather than travelling many miles.

The Malhamdale farmers contend that lambs which have to travel suffer stress which makes the meat less tender.

Natural Dales Lamb can be bought at weekends from Arncliffe Tea Rooms or can be ordered before collection by calling (01756) 770227 or 770212.

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