1.
Ethnic marketing of
lamb and mutton
Part I. Ethnic market background
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
sschoen@umd.edu

2.
Lamb Demand
•
Per capita consumption of lamb is very
low, less than 1 lb. per person; however,
consumption is much higher among
people of certain ethnic and religious
groups.
•
Population trends and immigration
patterns favor an increase in the
demand for lamb, mutton, and goat.
•
Imports comprise anywhere from ⅓ to ½
of the domestic lamb market; however,
ethnic consumers usually prefer a fresh
product.
•
Lamb is the preferred meat for the three
major religions: Christian, Muslim, and
Jewish; demand usually increases in
advance of major holidays.

3.
Comparison of lamb markets
Traditional (commodity)
Non-traditional, including ethnic
• Higher volume
• Little variability in type of
lamb sold: mostly large
lambs finished in feedlots.
• Price volatility; market
sets prices.
• Long-term decline in
production.
• Continuing loss of
infrastructure.
• Must change to survive
(Hale Report).
• Lower volume
• Demand outstrips supply
• Markets have room to grow due
to favorable demographics.
• Less price sensitivity and volatility
because producers often
negotiate prices.
• More competitive with imported
product.
• More consumer feedback
• Variable demand for type of lamb.
• Can meet demand with different
breeds and types and different
production systems and feeding
programs.

4.
What is an ethnic market?
• An ethnic market is a group of consumers that share a
common cultural background: race, color, national
origin, religion, or language.
• There is no single ethnic market for lamb and mutton.
• The ethnic market is composed of many different
market segments, with consumers in each group
having different buying preferences.

5.
Two largest demand sectors for lamb
MUSLIM
Source: http://www.allied-media.com/AM
HISPANIC

6.
Two largest demand sectors for lamb
Hispanic
• Hispanics are the fastest
growing minority group.
• The Latin wave is bigger than
the baby boomer generation.
• Hispanic buying power has
increased 76% since 1990.
• Hispanic families are larger.
• Hispanics are more likely to
cook at home and from
scratch.
• Hispanics spend more money
on food than the average
American.
Muslim
• There are as many as 8 million
Muslims in U.S.
• The annual growth rate (6%) is
larger than U.S. population
growth (<1%).
• It is the same size community
as Hispanics were 25 years
ago.
• The average Muslim is
younger, well-educated,
and affluent.

7.
Population trends and immigration patterns
favor an increase in the demand for lamb.
U.S. Population Demographics
Population (2012 estimate)
313,914,040
White
77.9%
Black, African-American
13.1%
Native American (Indian, Eskimo)
1.2%
Asian
5.1%
Hispanic or Latino
16.9%
Foreign-born
12.8%
Language other than English spoken in home
20.3%
Per capita income
$27,915
Median household income
$52,762
Source: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
Below poverty level
14.3%

8.
Sheep meat is favored by the three major
religions: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim.
Religious affiliation
Percentage among all U.S. adults
Christian
Protestant
Catholic
Mormon
Jehovah’s Witness
Orthodox
51.3
23.9
1.7
0.7
0.6
78.4
Other
Jewish
Buddhist
Muslim
Hindu
Other
1.7
0.7
0.6
0.4
1.2
4.7
Unaffiliated
16.1
Don’t know/refused to answer
0.8
Source: http://religions.pewforum.org/reports

9.
Determining population demographics
• United States Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov
• Pew Research Center
http://www.pewresearch.org
• Faith in Communities Today
http://faithcommunitiestoday.org
• Allied Media Corporation
http://www.allied-media.com
• Other web sites via internet searches

10.
Identify potential ethnic consumers
•
Determine population
demographics.
•
Identify Mosques and
Orthodox churches in your area.
•
Identify ethnic or foreign
stores and businesses near
to your farm.
•
Identify universities and
colleges with ethnic or foreign
faculty and students.
•
Don’t overlook doctors and other
professionals as potential consumers of
lamb and goat.
•
Identify farms and other businesses that employ seasonal, foreign,
or immigrant labor.

11.
Targeting ethnic consumers
• Visit mosques, churches,
and community centers.
• Contact foreign student
associations.
• Make contacts at sale barns
and slaughterhouses.
• Advertise in ethnic media.
• Put notices up at ethnic
stores and businesses.
• List your farm on available
web sites.
• Establish your own web site.

12.
Marketing to ethnic consumers
• Determine the type of lamb your customers
want, when and how. (2nd webinar).
• Evaluate marketing options (3rd webinar)
• Develop a marketing and production plan
(4th webinar) that ensures a profit.

13.
Slaughter options for sheep and lambs
• There are four levels of inspection in the U.S.
1) Federal (USDA)
inspection
2) State-inspection
3) Custom-exempt
4) Personal exemption
(i.e. on-farm slaughter)
It may be necessary to facilitate slaughter for ethnic consumers: know the options.

14.
Federally-inspected slaughter
• Highest level of inspection.
• No restrictions on sale of
properly-labeled meat.
• Extensive sanitary requirements
for facility; HACCP plans
required.
• Pre and post-inspection
of animal.
• Access to federally-inspected
slaughter may be limited in
some locations.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov
Topics | Inspection | FSIS-Inspected Establishments: Meat and Poultry Inspection Directory

15.
State-inspected slaughter
• Federal-state partnership: state inspection must be “at-least equal”
to federal inspection. Most state regulations mirror federal
regulations.
• Sale of meat is usually limited to sales
within state of slaughter.
• Only 27 states have state meat
inspection programs.
• Producers in states without state meat
inspection are subject to federal
regulations and any additional regulations
imposed by their state or county.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov
Topics | Inspection | State Inspection and Cooperative Agreements

16.
Custom-exempt slaughter
• Exempt from continuous inspection.
• There are sanitary requirements for
slaughter facility and inspection
requirements.
• No pre or post-mortem inspection
of animals.
• Meat must be stamped “not for
resale” and returned to owner for
consumption by owner, family, nonpaying guests, and employees.
• Be sure to sell a live animal when
utilizing custom-exempt slaughter.

17.
Personal exemption
• Allows a farmer to
slaughter an animal of
his own raising.
• No inspection of facility
or animal.
• Consumption of meat
limited to farmer, family,
non-paying guests, and
employees.

18.
• Most states consider the on-farm
slaughter of an animal to be illegal
except by the person who raised it
(Illinois has added an ownership
requirement of at least 30 days).
• In particular, state regulators are
opposed to allowing a buyer to
slaughter an animal on the farm
where it was purchased.
• In reality, USDA and most states
fail to address the legal rights of
the buyer to slaughter his own
animal; thus, leaving it open to
interpretation.
Does USDA’s personal exemption allow the buyer of a
live animal to slaughter the animal for his own use?

19.
Personal exemption comparison
New York
Vermont
North Carolina
• The owner of
the animal is
considered to
be the owner
when he/she
purchases it.
• Seller must sell
a live animal
and not assist in
the slaughter in
any way.
• Recently passed a
law that will allow
the on-farm
slaughter of up
to 25 sheep (or
3,500 lbs. of an
live animals).
• Slaughter site
must be sanitary
and designed to
prevent water
pollution.
• All slaughter must
take place in an
approved facility
regulated by the
North Carolina
Department of
Agriculture and
Consumer
Services.
• Only exemption is
for the person
who raised the
animal.

20.
Be sure to know the laws in your
own state and how they are
interpreted and enforced.
Potential sources of information
• State Department of Agriculture
• State Department of Health
• County Health Department
• USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS)
www.fsis.usda.org
• State Extension Services
• Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network @
eXtension.org

21.
About religious slaughter
• 1) Halal (Muslim)
2) Kosher (Jewish)
• Religious or ritual slaughter is
exempt from U.S. Humane Slaughter
Laws.
– Primary difference is that animals are not
stunned prior to slaughter (however,
animals should be properly restrained for
slaughter).
– It may also be necessary for a Muslim or
Rabbi to perform the slaughter.
• In some locales, there may be
limited access to plants that perform
religious (esp. certified) slaughter.
• A Muslim may be able to perform
Halal slaughter in some customexempt plants.

22.
Humane (Halal) On-Farm Slaughter
Poster available from www.sheepgoatmarketing.info: Education | Resources

23.
Marketing lamb/mutton to ethnic consumers
PROS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Growth market.
Higher demand.
Higher prices/profit possible.
Ability to negotiate prices.
Less price volatility.
Less price sensitivity.
May get feedback from
consumers.
• May be able to develop
market(s) for less desirable
animals (e.g. culls).
• Can sometimes “hold” lambs
without losing market
acceptance.
CONS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Need to learn customs of different ethnic
groups.
Ethnic marketing opportunities will be
limited by population demographics in
region (ethnic groups tend to live in or
near large urban centers).
Language and cultural differences
Dates of religious observances change
each year.
Demand is concentrated a few times
during the year.
Producers often flood the markets prior
to religious observances, resulting in
lower prices.
Direct marketing can be time-consuming.
May need to change the way you raise
sheep (including breeds).

24.
You may already be marketing your lambs
to non-traditional (ethnic) markets.

25.
Thank you for
your attention.
Questions?
The next webinar will be held
Tuesday, November 26 at 7 p.m. EST.
The topic will be “Understanding
the ethnic consumer.” The speaker
will be Katherine Harrison from
Blystone Farm and Butcher Shop in
Ohio.