Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has launched its plan to develop the sheep meat industry in Ireland in the context of Food Wise 2025.

Its ambition is to grow lamb output by a million lambs annually and rebuild the national ewe breeding flock to three million. It is looking at increased breeding efficiency and development of better genetics, particularly from hill flocks to get R3 grades weighing at least 18kg as the target to allow the best markets in Northern Europe be developed.

The report has been welcomed by Minister Creed who said: “I applaud the ambition shown, and I am confident that with a constructive and collaborative approach from all stakeholders, including processors, farmers and relevant state agencies, the contribution of the sheep sector to the rural economy, to employment and critically to the livelihoods of the farm families who are the bedrock of the sector, can be developed to its full potential.”