Cambrian Mountains Lamb awarded prestigious UK GI Status

Cambrian Mountains Lamb has been awarded the highly sought after UK Geographical Indication (UK GI) status.

It is the second Welsh product to be given this status, coming hot on the heels of Gower Salt Marsh Lamb which won the accolade last month.

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has welcomed today’s news and congratulated the producer group on their achievement.

From today, only legitimate ‘Cambrian Mountains Lamb’ from the region can be sold with the UK GI seal of approval.

The application for UKGI status was supported by the Welsh Government via their Welsh GI contract, which is delivered by Menter a Busnes and was made on behalf of the Cambrian Mountains Lamb Producer Group.

The Lamb group was originally brought together by the Cambrian Mountains Initiative, a project to help sustain traditional Welsh upland farms and rural communities.

This support was essential in ensuring the success of the application.

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said: “This is great news today and I want to congratulate the producer group on their success and welcome them into the Welsh GI family.

“Their wonderful product is another example of the iconic food and drink Wales has to offer.

“There are several other exciting Welsh food and drink products currently applying for the UK GI status and I look forward to seeing the Welsh GI family continuing to grow.”

‘Recognition’ 

Huw Davies from Aberdauddwr Farm and a member of the producer group said: “We are really pleased to achieve this UK GI status; in recognition of the unique product, we produce in these hills which is the ‘Cambrian Mountains Lamb’. Having UKGI status, I hope the consumer will be able to enjoy Cambrian Mountains Lamb for many years to come.”

Cambrian Mountains Lamb is a seasonal product. After a winter in the valley, the lambs are shepherded up to the hills for the long summer grazing on natural pastureland rich in varied grasses and herbs. This contributes to the taste of Cambrian Mountains Lamb and produces a lighter weight hill lamb.

In addition to the lambs’ natural diet, they are produced exclusively from ewes that are predominantly either Welsh Mountain or from other traditional Welsh native hill breeds. This makes for slower maturing lamb which gives more time for its “delicate and sweet” flavour to develop.