US Lamb Producers Eye Growing Halal Meat Market

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Lamb and sheep meat producers in the US have refocused their sights on Americas Muslim families to expand business.

The American Lamb Board is hoping it can entice the 5.7 million Muslims living in America and their $98 billion spending power, according to a report aired on National Public Radio.

Megan Wortman, the executive director of the American Lamb Board said that the board’s members have planned large media campaigns for “pasture-to-plate lamb” in Muslim hotspots such as Detroit, Chicago and New York.

The report notes that meat producers are cognizant of the “halal” animal slaughtering and processing procedures in order to make their product acceptable for Muslim families.

Americans in general are not particularly fond of lamb, consuming about a half-pound of lamb a year. On the other hand, they eat 50 pounds of beef and almost 90 pounds of chicken annually.
While the American Lamb Board said it was keen on getting more Americans to consume lamb, there were many lamb-loving communities including Muslims, Jews, Lebanese, Mexicans, Central Americans, Greeks, Italian, Eastern European and African communities.

But a growing Muslim population presents greater opportunities.