What steps is the Welsh Government taking to train farmers so that the shelf-life of sheep carcasses from Wales can be extended?
Extending the shelf-life of sheep carcasses is important and potentially a critical factor for our sheep sector as we move towards Brexit and the uncertainty surrounding future trade deals.
Enhancing shelf-life will continue to be a strategic priority for Welsh Government and Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) continues to focus attention on educating producers about the importance of producing lamb to a standard that meets the needs of the marketplace. Shelf-life forms an important aspect of HCC’s Livestock Selection courses. These are free of charge and held in local abattoirs across Wales. I would encourage producers to attend and to implement the lessons learned at these important events.
The Welsh Government has recently approved £9.2 million of funding for HCC to deliver the Red Meat Development Programme. The programme comprises three projects - Flock and Herd Health Planning, the Hill Ram Scheme and Lamb Meat Quality. The lamb meat quality project will look at additional measures to help extend shelf-life.
There are also a number of free downloadable resources, exclusively focusing on enhancing shelf-life available already on HCC’s website.