Kiwis encouraged to fire up the barbecue

To entice people, those who register their barbecue at nationallambday.co.nz will go in the draw to win one of five lamb BBQ boxes, each valued at $200.

Celebrated annually on 15 February, National Lamb Day marks the anniversary of New Zealand’s first frozen lamb shipment in 1882. It’s a tribute to the country’s proud food heritage and the dedication of today’s farmers and producers who continue to deliver world-class lamb.

Rabobank and FMG are principal partners of National Lamb Day 2025, supporting the event and helping to spread the world.

Jon Pemberton, chair of the National Lamb Day committee, says he is excited about the upcoming celebration.

"We've been working hard on the 2025 event, and it’s fantastic to see everything coming together - starting with a special barbecue at Parliament next Tuesday which will be attended by MPs from across the political spectrum as well as several agricultural industry leaders," he says.

Meanwhile, Rabobank chief executive Todd Charteris is looking forward to the Parliamentary barbecue.

“It’s great to see our nation’s leaders getting behind National Lamb Day and recognising the hard work of those behind our world-class lamb production," he says. "I’ll be joining in and helping with cooking the barbecue myself!”

FMG chief marketing officer Pete Frizzell is also eager for the celebrations to begin.

"Our connection to National Lamb Day is about supporting rural communities while bringing the whole country together to celebrate," he says.

The 2025 National Lamb Day campaign aims to inspire Kiwis nationwide to get involved and raise a chop to those who help bring New Zealand’s world-class lamb to our plates. To learn more and register your barbecue, visit nationallambday.co.nz.