A new scheme to boost consumers’ confidence in the venison market and support the sustainable management of wild deer in the countryside has launched.

The scheme is aiming to improve traceability of wild venison, increase buyer confidence and support woodland management in England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The new standard, along with the existing Scottish scheme, will enable the industry to demonstrate best practice for food production and increase buyer confidence in British wild venison.

The UK's deer population is believed to be at its highest level for 1000 years, with some 2m deer in our countryside and semi-urban areas. A growing deer population, with no natural predator puts more browsing pressure on woodland ground flora through their consumption of tree shoots, shrubs and woody vegetation that sequester carbon.

Therefore, increased wild deer management is essential to protect existing woodland and newly planted saplings, to meet England’s tree planting targets, protect agricultural crops and biodiversity and increase carbon stocks in woodlands.

The wild venison quality assurance scheme will ensure a set of audited standards are met throughout the supply chain, from forests, to the processing chain, to supermarket shelves. Successful applicants – including venison producers and processors – will support the development of a wider, more robust marketplace for British wild venison, which is a sustainable and healthy food source.

Applicants must demonstrate they comply with the new scheme, ensuring carcasses are handled correctly, premises are registered as food businesses with the local authority, and that standards expected for producing food are met in line with relevant regulations and best practice, ensuring that full traceability occurs. It is hoped the first quality-assured meat badged under this scheme will go on sale next year.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said: “We must develop ways to manage deer more sustainably if we are to meet our tree planting targets and protect our precious woodlands and biodiversity. This announcement is an important step towards achieving that aim and creating a thriving market for British wild venison.”

Chief executive of the Forestry Commission, Richard Stanford, said: “A healthy native wild deer population that is in balance with its ecosystem will allow woodland to flourish, and support biodiversity.

"However, where there are high-density populations of wild deer these can negatively impact the establishment, growth and biodiversity of woodland. Deer, therefore, must be managed as part of sustainable forestry in England which will also support the development of the wild venison market as a healthy meat.

“Boosting confidence in the British venison market encourages deer management and is a sustainable alternative to fencing and plastic tree guards in the landscape. As such, I strongly encourage producers to apply for this new scheme.”

The scheme is a cross-sector initiative developed by the Forestry Commission, Grown in Britain, Forestry England, Natural Resources Wales, National Game Dealers Association, British Association for Shooting and Conservation, British Deer Society, and the National Gamekeepers Organisation.