Farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador are facing high demand for local lamb due to changing demographics, particularly from new immigrant communities. David Hayes, a sheep farmer, notes that while he could double production, it wouldn't meet current market demands. Mohammed Kasmi, owner of Andaluzia Market in St. John’s, emphasizes the preference for fresh local lamb among his international clientele despite challenges in sourcing it consistently.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-12,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Changing demographics in N.L. are driving demand for local lamb
Farmers say the demand is ‘exciting,’ but conditions remain challenging
It’s a racket of crashing waves and bleating animals as sheep are loaded into a boat in Tors Cove, N.L.
Lambs and ewes are piled in for the voyage, as farmers work together for the animals' yearly vacation.
The sheep are being ferried to graze on nearby Ship Island.
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sheep → change → Island
There, they’ll be safe from predators, and moving them will free up the farmers’ land to grow hay they’ll need badly this winter.
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they → move → hay
This is part of what it takes to raise sheep in Newfoundland, and farmers say lamb is a product customers can’t get enough of these days.
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customers → take → enough
"We could all easily double our production and still not meet market challenges and or demands," sheep farmer David Hayes told CBC news.
uncertain
Hayes → double → news
Hayes said part of that increase in demand is due to changing demographics in Newfoundland.
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part → say → Newfoundland
Mostly a lot of new Canadians because it's a big part of their diet where it wasn't part of our traditional diet here," Hayes said.
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Hayes → say → diet
David Hayes already has a waitlist of customers looking for lamb.
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Hayes → have → lamb
He loves to eat lamb.
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He → love → lamb
So do his customers.
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customers → do → ?
"The quality of fresh local lamb is way more tasty than the frozen," Kasmi told CBC News.
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Kasmi → tell → News
But getting local lamb isn’t always possible to keep up with the demand he’s seeing.
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he → get → demand
Kasmi says he’s noticed an increase in demand in the last couple of years.
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he → say → years
"International communities here like India, Afghanistan, Arabs, Middle East, I mean, everybody is interested in getting lamb in their menu, in their dishes.
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everybody → mean → dishes
It's very highly recommended by the international communities," Kasmi said.
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Kasmi → recommend → communities
Owner of Andaluzia Market, Mohammed Kasmi, and butcher Youssef Aouachi say lamb sells out quick.
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lamb → say → Market
Kasmi told CBC News he buys local lamb for his store whenever he can — whatever the price.
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price → tell → store
"We would like to support — all the time — the local farmers.
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We → like → farmers
We love to get from them the meat first.
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We → love → meat
But unfortunately, if we don’t have any choice, we just have to look for different options," Kasmi said.
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Kasmi → have → options
Alternatives to local include fresh meat from across Canada, and frozen from even further afield — all the way down under.
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Alternatives → include → Canada
Kasmi’s freezers are stocked full of meat from New Zealand and Australia.
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freezers → stock → Zealand
Morocco-born Kasmi said that back home, he used to eat lamb three or four times a week.
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he → bear → lamb
But now, he substitutes beef in some of his dishes when lamb is hard to find.
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lamb → substitute → dishes
He said his customers do the same, sometimes using goat as a replacement, too.
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customers → say → replacement
Sheep travel by boat to Ship Island, where they graze during the summer.
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they → graze → summer
The future of the flock
On her farm in Port Kirwan, Brenda Aylward’s flock comes as soon as she calls.
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she → come → Kirwan
She’s also noticed an increase in demand in their products.
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She → notice → products
"It's exciting to see the demand is there and that you are growing a product that people truly want and appreciate and value.
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people → see → that
It's also extremely frustrating because the growth potential is there, but being able to access the resources you need to grow quickly, it's not always an easy task," Aylward told CBC News.
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Aylward → access → News
Farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador say coyote predation is one of the challenges they face.
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they → say → challenges
Aylward said major challenges farmers face are coyote predation, and access to adequate grazing pasture.
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farmers → say → pasture
But SPANL is working to address that.
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SPANL → work → that
Aylward said it's important for producers in the province to work together, and look to the future of the industry.
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producers → say → industry
"It's a positive sign to see some of the younger producers and farmers’ kids," she said.
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she → see → producers
- Video
Meet your maker: Sheep to Sock Textile Festival highlights demand for wool
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Festival → meet → wool
These N.L. sheep spend summer on their very own island
Aylward said that it’s important for producers to continue to make their voices heard to government entities for support.
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voices → spend → support
The farmer encourages new people to get involved in the sheep industry.
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farmer → encourage → industry
"If we are supported fully by industry, by the public and by government ... it is going to become a very lucrative industry in years to come," Aylward said.
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Aylward → support → years
"I hope I'm still around to see that," she said.
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she → hope → that
The Aporia
