The Welsh Way

What we eat, where and when, and where that food comes from has never been more debated than in recent years. Climate conscious consumers care about the origin and production methods of their food more than ever. It is easy to get confused with the myriad of claims that often paint a less than favourable picture of our farming industry, especially if different production systems get confused.

Thankfully, there’s an answer: traditionally-farmed meat, which is healthier, more sustainable, and — best of all — tastier.

The sheep farmers of Wales never needed telling this. They’ve lived and worked this way, the Welsh way, for centuries.

The wild weather and even wilder terrain of Wales isn’t ideal for many types of farming, but it's absolutely perfect for rearing the world’s finest sheep. Lush grass fed by plentiful rain – very plentiful, let’s face it – make for unsurpassed grazing, healthy animals and the finest lamb you could ever wish to serve up.

‘Welsh Lamb is definitely a product of its environment,’ says Emily Jones, a fourth generation farmer from Garnwen Farm in Ceredigion.

Garnwen Farm is in the central mountains of Wales at 1,000ft above sea level, something which Emily says suits her livestock perfectly.

'Our animals thrive on where we are,' she explains.

'I think what makes Welsh Lamb so special here is it's not pushed, it's very natural, it lives on grass and fresh air.'

Grass and fresh air are just part of the story, though: the care that farmers give their animals really makes a difference — both in terms of animal welfare and flavour.

'I think how the farmers treat all the animals and how they look after them, that's definitely what I feel that makes Welsh Lamb so special,' says Emily.

Welsh Lamb: The facts

• Farming is often cited as one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gases in the UK, but agriculture is responsible for just 10% of total emissions
• Red meat farmed in Wales is significantly more sustainable than meat from around the world. Welsh Lamb production emits 10–13kg of CO2 emitted per kilogram – roughly a third of the global average of 37kg of CO2 per kg
• The claim that it takes 15,000 litres of water to produce a kilo of beef simply don't apply in Wales. Naturally high rainfall provides everything that’s needed, and in this sustainable, grass-based system, the figure can be as low as 220 litres per kg
• 80% of Welsh agricultural land is considered ‘marginal’ - in other words, not suitable for growing crops. Grazing cattle and sheep is the most efficient way to use this land for food production.

Emily’s family have worked the 140 acres of Garnwen Farm for almost a century, giving her generations of experience to draw upon – experience that she has augmented with further training and the best new sustainable techniques.

‘I feel I've learnt a lot from my father, he's done a lot here, and I can see where we have improved and where we can improve,’ she says.

These days, Garwen Farm’s sheep rotate with cattle, for example; they also graze on herbal leys, which mix grass with herbs and legumes to enrich the soil, minimise the use of chemicals and improve the health of the sheep.

'I do feel like I have got a good understanding of the grassland and how we farm here,' Emily adds, 'and I'm still up for learning and trying new things and bringing new things in to help Welsh Lamb thrive.’

And thriving it is. More and more, farmers like Emily are finding that their customers are happy to pay a premium for sustainable, ethically-produced meat from healthy, happy animals – not just for the environmental benefits, but also because it quite simply tastes so much better. And as the awareness spreads, it helps create a virtuous circle which will keep this ancient way of farming going for many more centuries to come.

'When you go out to buy Welsh Lamb, you're not only supporting us as a community, but I do feel it is the best tasting lamb out there,’ Emily says. 'But you'll be helping the community, helping an industry thrive, and really helping support places like this.’

To find out more about the work that goes into producing quality PGI Welsh Lamb visit eatwelshlambandwelshbeef.com