Livestock auctioneer to grill MPs about imported lamb
A Northumbrian livestock auctioneer will be grilling MPs at Westminster over what he calls a “worrying” level of lamb meat being imported.
The 25-year old auctioneer, Jack Walton, from Hexham in Northumberland told the BBC: “The big problem in the sheep industry is that the supermarkets are buying a hell of a lot of New Zealand lamb.”
“There’s thousands of sheep available which would supply our supermarkets but I guess it’s cheaper for them to ship it frozen in a boat for 13 weeks across here.
“I don’t understand how that can be sustainable.
“It’s demoralising. I’ll stand there and try and persuade buyers to buy sheep and I know for a fact the farmers aren’t making any money.”
Katie James from the National Sheep Association said: “Our meeting with several Lords, MPs and Defra representatives and then also with influential retailer M&S gives the young sheep sector representatives a unique opportunity to explain the concerns they have for their futures working in the industry.
“Decisions made in London influence the next generation of our farmers more than most and so it is these young people that can help to shape that future with opportunities such as this meeting.”
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