American Lamb Board Launches Marketing Activity; Initial Programs Set to Kick-Off this Spring, Long Range Planning Underway.

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 10, 2003

The newly formed American Lamb Board made its official debut today at the Annual Meat Conference sponsored by the American Meat Institute and the Food Marketing Institute. The board, which is comprised of 13 U.S. lamb industry representatives, is authorized under the Lamb Promotion, Research and Information Order. Assessments began on July 1, 2002. The focus of the new American Lamb Board is to increase market share for American lamb while maintaining profitability for all segments of the lamb industry.

The formal creation of the check-off funded American Lamb Board is a continuation of a heightened effort by all segments of the lamb industry to help build awareness and demand for fresh American lamb products. Earlier last year, through a one-time USDA grant, U.S. lamb producers launched their first advertising campaign in nearly a decade to demonstrate the versatility of American lamb and the variety of cuts available.

Spring Programming

American Lamb Board programs will be geared toward educating consumers that American lamb offers larger, more tender, milder cuts of meat. Initial check-off marketing activity will kick off next month with an Easter/Passover media relations initiative slated to leverage this key lamb occasion. In addition, the American Lamb Board will be a participant in the International Association of Culinary Professionals' Annual meeting in April as part of its planned culinary outreach. Public relations, advertising and retail promotion programs will follow as the board develops its long-range plans.

Unifying the Industry

"By joining forces, the American lamb industry is taking an important step in continuing to raise the profile of domestic lamb," said Tom Kourlis, chairman of the American Lamb Board. "Our goal is to develop a unified plan designed to enhance consumer and culinary professional demand for U.S.-bred lamb."

"At a time when other commodity groups' check-off programs are under review, the American lamb industry saw the need for a significant marketing program to generate awareness about the qualities of U.S.-bred lamb," said Bill Brennan, vice chairman of the American Lamb Board. "We're looking forward to educating consumers and culinary professionals about American lamb's superior taste profile."

The American Lamb Board is a 13-member board comprised of producers, feeders, seedstock producers and first handlers, appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to administer the activities of the American lamb check-off program initiated in 2002. Producers, feeders, seedstock producers, and exporters are assessed $0.005 per pound of ovine sold. First handlers, primarily packers, are assessed $0.30 per head for each lamb slaughtered. For more information visit www.americanlambboard.org.