Geoff Asher honoured: The Deer Industry Award – the industry’s highest honour – has gone to Dr Geoff Asher, AgResearch’s leading deer production scientist. The announcement of the award was very warmly received at the conference awards dinner in Wellington. In the award citation, Jason Archer of AbacusBio described Asher as a true legend who deservedly ranks highly alongside many of the deer industry pioneers and stalwarts in terms of his contribution to deer farming.

DINZ chair Ian Walker and chief executive Dan Coup have rated the performance of the deer industry against its strategy. Taking a school report card approach, they have given it a B grade for its performance.

Central Hawke’s Bay couple Evan and Linda Potter won the Premier Elworthy Award in the industry’s 2019 environmental awards. They, along with three other farming couples, also took home awards or highly commendeds.

The farmed venison industry has a great future if it wins the hearts of the millennial generation. That means satisfying them that our venison systems are environmentally sustainable, particularly our carbon emissions.

• Are you upper-income, 39 years old, married and female?
• China venison market growing
• Research thrust continues
• NAIT and government talk tough on compliance
• Building the Cervena® premium
• Venison prices soften, but still travelling well
• Seven environmental groups meeting

The 2019 Deer Industry Conference next month and is expected to be a cracker. Delegates will have a hand in developing an industry environmental strategy before heading to the Cake Tin to see the Hurricanes take on the Jaguares.

A new system for tracing tagged velvet as it moves through the supply chain is being developed. Feedback is now being sought from farmers, veterinarians, buyers, exporters and others in the supply chain. 

Deer farmers wanting to ‘do their bit’ to reduce the impact of climate change can plant trees to absorb carbon in areas being fenced off to improve water quality. But at present there are no major changes, short of reducing production, they can make to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Demand for NZ deer velvet is continuing to rise on the back of a growing market for health foods in South Korea. Deer velvet products are a small but rapidly growing segment in this market, which is dominated by red ginseng.

• ​Rural professionals to bone-up on deer
• Climate change policy needs to be workable
• Gearing up for Summer Cervena
• Strong environmental theme for May conference
• Rockvale the Supreme Rising Star
• Elk pioneer dies
• ‘Zombie deer disease’ a timely wake-up call