All five major venison marketing companies and the NZ Deer Farmers Association are backing the introduction of a revamped quality assurance programme for farmed deer.
The companies have agreed on a single standard for deer that will eliminate duplication between companies running their own QA programmes.
They have also agreed that, after a three-year phase-in period, compliance with the QA standard will be a requirement for the supply of animals for Cervena venison.
The development of the single standard was initiated by the marketers and co-ordinated by Deer Industry NZ as part of the industry’s Passion2Profit programme.
For farmers who produce beef, lamb or goat meat, as well as venison, the deer standard is included in the NZ Farm Assurance Programme, developed by the Red Meat Profit Partnership.