A FARMER based in Launceston is working with M&S to supply early season lamb to customers. 

James Neale, from Wilkie Down Farm, has been working to deliver produce to M&S stores across the UK two months earlier than usual. The retailer’s new ‘Best in Season Lamb’ is reared in farms across the south west region, with M&S being the first retailer to stock West Country lamb this year. 

A family business, James farms alongside his brother, Chris, at Wilkie Down Farm in Launceston, and has produced exceptional south west lamb for M&S since 2022. This year, Wilkie Down Farm is proud to provide the retailer with early-season meat, which is being made available across the country.  

The west country climate and geography of Wilkie Down Farm allows for prime grass growing countryside, ideal for livestock, allowing James and his family to produce high-quality lamb reared on the lush local pastures their lambs graze on. With shorter winters in the west country, and the generally milder conditions, suppliers are able to put their livestock out to pasture earlier in the season than other parts of the UK.

The early supply of West Country Lamb from livestock in the Southwest is also a result of many local farmers keeping Dorset ewes. The breed of sheep is renowned for being able to breed out of season, with many lambing earlier in December and January, compared to the usual spring season familiar to the average commercial flock across the rest of the UK.  

James said: “We are very proud to be one of the Southwest suppliers of M&S and provide them and their customers with the first in season lamb.  

“My family and I have been dedicated to what we do for four generations, and so ensuring our final produce has the desired premium quality and flavour is vital. We’re very lucky to be based in North Cornwall and have a vast number of lush pastures for our livestock to roam.  

“We are delighted to see so many M&S customers already enjoying this season’s early supply.”