Question 1

How can I get involved?

Accepted Answer

You can support our project by donating towards our venture or getting involved by replicating it yourself! The deer overpopulation issue is UK wide, we are a pilot scheme, and we want to be transparent and allow people to set up similar schemes. Lets stop the damage, stop the waste, and get that venison to people who need it.

Question 2

Why can't the deer be left unmanaged?

Accepted Answer

Without an apex predator the deer population can boom to the point where it crushes the ecosystem around it and it damages forestry, farming, and peatland. The deer themselves are not happy at such extreme densities, eventually left unchecked they can't find enough food and begin to suffer from diseases and starvation. An extremely unmanaged deer population is actually an animal welfare issue.

Question 3

What has caused the overpopulation?

Accepted Answer

There are many contributing factors to overpopulation. Post-brexit we lost a significant export market for venison so the prices have crashed for venison sales. There is little financial incentive to manage deer. In addition, forestry developments with deer fencing have restricted deer movements, there have been milder winters, and deer have been driven into areas that haven't traditionally got the infrastructure to manage them.

Question 4

Why haven't surplus deer already been donated to food banks?

Accepted Answer

There have been many challenges in delivering this project. The startup costs are significant. The food banks are not run by the government and so each independent food bank has different capacity and a different method of working. Subsequently, it takes time and collaboration to deliver a consistent service.

Question 5

Is there support in the industry?

Accepted Answer

There is a huge collective will to make this project happen both from the deer managers and food bank coordinators. Many gamekeepers have offered to donate their surplus deer rather than seeing them go to waste. Many food banks have offered to invest in new refrigeration to accommodate and maximise the amount of venison we can deliver.

Question 6

Is it just deer Fair Feast will deliver?

Accepted Answer

Our regular rounds will be made up of surplus venison, we will be open to other farm surpluses to dovetail into our network in future. So if you have a pile of potatoes, a cart of carrots, or an ocean of onions - get in touch!

The Social Enterprise: Venison sales matched in food bank donations

The Social Enterprise:
Venison sales
matched in
food bank
donations