Sustainable management of our trees and forests is vital if we are to create a balanced natural environment producing timber, venison and a host of natural capital benefits.
In many parts of the UK our woodlands are under threat from unsustainably high populations of deer, resulting in negative impacts on trees and agriculture and an estimated 74,000 road traffic accidents per year.
People want to have confidence in the quality and provenance of their food and know that it has been sustainably produced. British Quality Wild Venison certification supports the government’s ambition in the UKFS, to mitigate the impact of deer through sustainable forest management.
WHY APPLY?
Quality assurance for the venison you produce
Increased confidence and acceptance of wild venison by consumers
Increased demand from supermarkets and public procurement bodies
More British wild venison on supermarket shelves and dinner tables, replacing imports
Meet the demand from retailers and the public for British certified local produce
Pride in delivering certified, quality assured produce against a nationally recognised standard
About BQWV
BQWV certification has come about in response to a number of factors:
- Public demand for greater transparency of the food chain.
- Industry demand for higher standards of lead free, wild venison production
- A quality assurance and provenance mark that underpins confidence by consumers and large scale buyers.
- The need to make the most out of a healthy and nutritious wild resource.
We import around 1000 tons of farmed venison whilst deer culling is struggling to meet quotas due to low demand for this delicious meat.
And like a golden thread running through all that GiB is involved in, is the need to actively manage new and existing woodlands, with deer management being critical to that overarching objective. Unsustainable levels of deer are having a severe impact on the biodiversity of our woods and preventing new woods from reaching their potential for carbon sequestration, timber and fabulous places to visit for our health and well being.
How BQWV works
The BQWV Standard has been written in consultation with, land owners and managers, national game organisations, government and food standards authorities. These same sector representatives will review the standard on an annual basis.
It provides a set of best practice criteria for producers (those controlling deer) and processors promoting safe, quality venison with full traceability. It covers all points from the shooting of deer, carcass handling, storage and transportation, through to processing and packaging.
Each scheme applicant will undergo a set of checks and balances, which are outlined in the standard, to ensure compliance.
An independent auditor will assess adherence to the scheme for applicants on an annual basis. Grown in Britain as the certification body will maintain the standard, review the audit reports and award the certification.
How to join
Producers
As a trained hunter producing British Quality Wild Venison, you will have the experience and qualifications to deliver a quality product into the food chain.
Ongoing professional development is an important part of the scheme, as is the commitment to using lead free ammunition; without this commitment the supermarkets and large procurement bodies will continue to rely on farmed imports as the safe option for consumers.
As part of our endeavour to make BQWV certification achievable to a significant number of producers, we are engaging with the UK’s national organisations to operate group schemes, which will coordinate part of the auditing regime for their members, thereby keeping costs to a minimum.
To find out more about becoming BQWV certified, download the standard here and fill in the BASC Group Scheme application form here. Please note the standard covers all aspects of the venison supply chain and you will be audited only against the relevant parts.
Processors
Certification under the British Quality Wild Venison scheme will allow you to promote your business as producing the highest quality wild venison with full traceability.
The scheme will help to deliver the confidence in wild venison that supermarkets and large public procurement bodies need to award contracts. Without this confidence too much of the venison on offer to consumers will continue to be imported farmed meat.
To find out more about becoming BQWV certified, download the standard here and fill in our online application form. The standard covers all aspects of the venison supply chain and your business will be audited against the relevant parts.
Interested in knowing more?
Please fill in the details below and a member of our team will be in touch with you as soon as possible.