National Lamb Day -

Bio-economy `still major driver of NZ´s prosperity´

Lincoln University is delighted to help celebrate National Lamb Day, said Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr Chris Kirk, as he tucked into a lunch of lamb sandwiches on the campus.

"It´s the anniversary of a landmark occasion in the development of New Zealand," he said.

National Lamb Day is the 125th anniversary of the first shipment of frozen meat from New Zealand to Britain. Five thousand sheep carcasses were despatched on 15 February 1882 and arrived in London in excellent condition 98 days later. Today New Zealand´s sheep and beef export industry contributes $5 billion a year to the New Zealand economy.

"Lincoln University is delighted to help celebrate the bio-economy of New Zealand," said Dr Kirk, who joined other Lincoln staff members dining today on lamb.

"The bio-economy is still the major driver of New Zealand´s prosperity and research and innovation are at the heart of staying competitive.

"Lincoln University is pleased to be at the forefront of this in terms of the graduates we produce and the research we carry out."

Lincoln University´s Catering Manager, Heather Watson, ensured that lamb was featured in a range of dishes served on campus today in the dining hall and cafeterias. Lamb and kumara hot pot, lamb and kumara pie, lamb sandwiches and chilli lamb mince with nachos were all on the menu.

The University´s Professor of Trade and Environmental Economics, Caroline Saunders, was among those enjoying a lamb lunch with Dr Kirk.

"The story of New Zealand´s sheepmeat export industry is a marvellous one," said Professor Saunders. "It contains all the ingredients of personal initiative, enterprise and persistence that are seen in so many of this country´s commercial successes. It well deserves celebrating."

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