Anderton announces National Lamb Day

Minister of Agriculture Jim Anderton announced that February 15, 2007 is to be National Lamb Day, marking the 125th anniversary of one of the most significant milestones in New Zealand's meat industry.

"National Lamb Day is an opportunity for New Zealanders and others to eat lamb in acknowledgement of the remarkable feat of the agricultural pioneers William Davidson and Thomas Brydone, who were behind the first shipment of frozen meat from Port Chalmers in Otago on the SS Dunedin, bound for London," Jim Anderton said.

"The 5000 sheep carcasses arrived in London on February 15th 1882 in excellent condition, 98 days after embarkation and found an enthusiastic and ready market.

"I am very pleased to see one of my 'unsung heroes', William Saltau Davidson, is receiving the recognition he deserves for his great innovation of refrigerated shipping. It has meant that New Zealand could move agricultural products to Europe, which, in turn established New Zealand's relative prosperity.

"Prior to 1882, New Zealand mainly sold wool overseas. No-one believed we could have a thriving dairy or meat export business. There are important lessons to learn from the first voyages of refrigerated meat to Europe to the present day where New Zealand's primary industry sectors are growing faster than any other sector of the economy.

"New Zealand's sheep and beef export industry now contributes $5 billion a year to the New Zealand economy and the industry is celebrating this remarkable achievement with a range of activities - among these is New Zealand Lamb Day, February 15, 2007.

"Former All Black Captain Sean Fitzpatrick will be working with Meat and Wool New Zealand representatives in London to highlight this anniversary in the United Kingdom on February 15. New Zelaland's embassies around the word are also being encouraged to highlight the milestone and where possible serve New Zealand lamb at any official dinners they have planned on February 15.

"In Wellington, Members of Parliament have been invited to join in the celebrations I am hosting as Minister of Agriculture at a BBQ at Parliament. Retail Meat New Zealand, Meat & Wool New Zealand, the New Zealand Meat Industry Association and the New Zealand Beef and Lamb Marketing Bureau are supporting this event.

"We hope all New Zealanders will recognise this meat industry milestone and mark it by enjoying lamb for dinner on February 15, to celebrate 125 years of meat exports," Mr Anderton said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media