Southland Foodbank stocked with meat for 'two or three months' thanks to Fiordland deer culling programme

Prime venison is being given away to help feed hundreds of Kiwi families in need.

A programme designed to keep deer numbers at bay in the Deep South is paying dividends in the community.

Prime Fiordland venison which was once destined for sale in Europe is now being given away locally instead to help feed hundreds of Kiwi families in need.

Each year, under a special Department of Conservation permit, up to a thousand are culled to keep numbers under control.

President of the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation, Roy Sloan, said “historically the deer recovery is done and subsidised by exporting the venison overseas into the European market.”

But when that market collapsed late last year, his team came up with a plan to give the meat away for those in need.

“To fund the project, we have a lot of people involved. We've got the helicopter guys who all had to do it at their lowest possible dollar, right through to the processing who had to do the same to make it work” he said.

While the meat is helping feed locals, the processing of it is also helping save jobs.

“We were doing one day a week and since we've been doing the Wapiti we're getting to four days a week” said Chris Ramage from Fare Game Meats.

The wild venison is being delivered to various charities and foodbanks including the Southland Foodbank.

“With the influx of beef we have had lately and now the venison, the meat supply should be pretty good for the next two or three months I’d say with a bit of luck” said Peter Swain.

Around 600 deer in Fiordland National Park will be processed to make around 18,000kgs of venison mince that will benefit hundreds of families across the country.

“We're getting deer reduction, so we're getting benefits for biodiversity, we're getting jobs and we're getting good food for people that need it” said Mervyn English from the Department of Conservation.

“It's about community, it's about us all working together to achieve recreation and conservation and what a win-win for everyone” said Roy Sloan.

A win which will benefit many in a time of need.

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