In 2008 Graham Brown (Cervena Chef) along with Puketira Deer had the opportunity to represent the New Zealand deer industry at the International Star Chef’s conference in New York. The theme of the conference was sustainable food. As part of the conference, a panel discussion considered the merits of “buying local” versus New Zealand product. Fearing the worst and expecting to be set up for a food miles debate stacked very much against them this kiwi trio found instead that the consumers of New Zealand venison appreciated the fact that our product in essentially “range fed” as opposed to “feedlot raised”. Many struggled to comprehend that we could produce a prime animal without the addition of “corn” and other additives so prevalent in the feedlot systems used in America. The impression we gained is that America has cheap food but in the minds of many it is not necessarily “safe food”. The “naturalness” of our production systems and the “safety” of our food rated very highly in the minds of the audience and the distance to market was of no consequence.
New Zealand deer farmers have a great story to tell their customers about taking an introduced animal that was a pest, out of the mountains and the bush and successfully incorporating these animals into our pastoral farming systems. Not only are we able to supply the world with some of the finest quality tender meat that diners have experienced but the natural environment of New Zealand has been enhanced as a consequence.
New Zealand deer farmers have a great story to tell their customers about taking an introduced animal that was a pest, out of the mountains and the bush and successfully incorporating these animals into our pastoral farming systems. Not only are we able to supply the world with some of the finest quality tender meat that diners have experienced but the natural environment of New Zealand has been enhanced as a consequence.