Photo: 123rf
The New Zealand meat industry has been meeting with lobbyists and government officials in the United States to ensure exports of lamb continue to flow into its market.
R-Calf USA, the largest body representing producers of cattle and sheep in the United States, says the sheep industry there has been decimated over the last three decades with an explosion of lamb and mutton from Australia and New Zealand pushing down returns for local producers.
Beef and Lamb New Zealand chief executive Sam McIvor has just returned from a trip to the US where he met with lobbyists and government officials to put forward New Zealand's case.
"We wanted to talk with influential people and gather intelligence about what's happening there."
McIvor said R-CALF has sent a petition calling for increased tariffs on New Zealand lamb to the United States Trade Representative.
"The outcome of that is still unknown, they're reviewing the petition that's come from R-CALF and assessing if that's worthy of further investigation.
"I guess the key message we gave as we talked to people in the US is really around our long term commitment to that industry and the market and we also discussed the work we've done alongside the domestic industry to push the product and grow the market.
"Sheep meat consumption in US is really low so the opportunity is for the US and New Zealand industry to grow the market together."
McIvor said it was not the first time the American Industry has tried to limit imports of New Zealand sheep-meat.
"The American Sheep Industry Association proposed legal action, but that fell by the wayside because they didn't get wider industry support to move forward."
"We're leaving no stone unturned in terms of making sure that this risk is managed and I know the government is as well."