Kirree Kermode lives with her family on their farm in Ballasalla.

They breed prize-winning pedigree sheep and cattle. Kirree also co-presents the Manx Radio Countryside Programme, alongside Simon Clarke, and works as a procurement officer at Isle of Man Meats.

Kirree says: ’In this moment of absolute turmoil we are asking that you please, please support our farming families in buying Manx where you can.

’Now that the export market has dramatically slowed up due to the coronavirus, Isle of Mab Meats are prioritising the local market.

’The intake numbers more than halved overnight and farmers have many quality lambs waiting to leave the farms.

’This means a cash flow problem for them, but it also means there is plenty to supply everyone in the island who wants to buy locally-produced, completely traceable meat.

’If anyone tells you they can’t get hold of Manx lamb, it’s simply not true, there’s plenty of lamb and it’s great quality.

’I see the stock going into the meat plant and it is consistently hitting the target grades. We know that our small local butchers are seeing the busiest times of their lives and doing everything in their power to deliver to local people, but we are still being undermined by bigger retailers importing Welsh and New Zealand lamb.

’That’s fine if that’s what people want to buy but when I know that there are people looking to buy Manx and support the local community, and when I know that there are hundreds of Manx lambs here in our island waiting to be processed, that does seem very wrong somehow.

’These are unprecedented times and we need to stick together, support each other, our community and our island. And when I hear friends saying they were unable to find Manx lamb on the shelves and being told in store it was because ’we can’t get hold of it’, I know that is simply not true.

’How can you be sure it’s Manx?

’If you go to your local butcher he will very likely be able to not only assure that it’s local but also be able to tell you exactly which farm it has come from. If you are buying from a larger retailer, check the packaging.

’A friend wrote on Facebook the other day saying that they had bought what they thought was a pack of Manx lamb steaks: "It was only when I was about to throw the packet in the bin, that I spotted, in the tiniest writing physically possible, the words ’Product of the EU. Packed on the IoM.’"

’This crisis is the biggest thing to hit all of us in our lifetimes.

’It is worrying for everybody and it has brought home to many how very important food security is to a small island like ours.

’But, when it comes to lamb, we don’t have to worry if the Ben-My-Chree doesn’t sail.

’Manx lamb is quality and it’s on our doorstep - please ask for it by name and support those who are doing all they can to support us, the local farmers and the Manx farming industry.’