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DINZ news in brief | Issue 111

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Jul 19, 2024

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Promising progress for China frozen velvet access

The ongoing efforts to restore market access for frozen and dried deer velvet in China ready for the upcoming 2024-2025 season are showing promising progress. Over the past few weeks, DINZ has advocated for timely resolution with MPI. It has also been encouraging key commercial stakeholders in China to engage with their respective officials for timely restoration of market access.

Fairlight Station’s Simon Wright, explaining New Zealand velvet’s attributes to visiting Chinese culinary influencers late last year during their Ends of the Earth visit.

Officials are working earnestly to conclude negotiations and agree on an updated protocol for deer velvet, with good progress being made towards enabling trade for the upcoming season.

“MPI reports good progress towards agreeing on a pathway forward for the coming season.” reports DINZ interim chief executive Rhys Griffiths.

“While our meetings have been very positive, and we believe progress is being made, we won't rest until the protocol is signed and a clear pathway into the market is identified.”

DINZ’s goal is to secure a stable and favourable market access pathway for frozen deer velvet in China.

DINZ will continue to keep stakeholders updated as new information becomes available.

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The deer industry’s China charm offensive continues

Having a deer industry presence at events and connecting with potential customers in China at this time is “really important” for the industry, even if it’s “hard to quantify the exact benefits received,” says New Zealand Deer Farmers Association (NZDFA) executive committee chair Mark McCoard.

The deer industry team was out in strength at the business awards. From left to right are Tony Cochrane (DINZ), Richard Dunsheath (NZTE), John Sadler (Mountain River Venison), Rhys Griffiths (DINZ), Mark McCoard (NZDFA), Virginia Connell (DINZ), Becks Stratton and Glen McClennan (both Silver Fern Farms).

McCoard was among the deer industry delegation attending the New Zealand China Trade Association (NZCTA) China Business Awards in Auckland at the end of June. Among others at the table were DINZ interim chief executive Rhys Griffiths, New Zealand’s trade commissioner Richard Dunsheath, who is just changing his posting from Shanghai to Seoul, trade advisor Damon Paling and board member Tony Cochrane.

What was most noticeable for McCoard at the awards was how the most successful companies are pitching to their Chinese customers, he says.

He assumed it would be “clean and green,” he said, but it was more focused on innovation, technology and new product development than the traditional tourism sector. Companies are “really being encouraged to invest in the market and have a platform there,” he found.

The DINZ executive has an active campaign to keep in touch with the industry’s high profile China contacts.

In addition to the business awards, last month, Griffiths signed a partnership Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese company Beijing Tong Ren Tang (BTRT), the largest traditional Chinese medicine company in the world (see last issue), “which helped further the healthy foods initiative,” he says. Later that day, Griffiths and a BTRT representative went on to a gala dinner in Auckland marking  Chinese Premier Li Qiang's visit to New Zealand, also attended by New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Luxon. A DINZ group also advocated for access at the China Business Summit in Auckland.

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NZ venison helps celebrate Matariki in Germany

The stars came out at the NZ Embassy in Berlin for Matariki, and they were eating New Zealand farm-raised venison.

DINZ consultant chef Shannon Campbell was on hand on 26 June to serve up venison steaks and sausages, made by Berlin-based Kiwi butcher, ‘The Sausage Man Never Sleeps’ to the 150 VIP guests from various German ministries, other embassies, military attachés and industry contacts.

“A fair few of the importers of NZ venison were also in attendance,” Campbell reports.

This was just one of several events that Campbell helped venison marketers with during NZ Venison Week, which this year ran from 24 - 30 June. 

As always, the initiative involved a mix of DINZ and in-market partner activities, boosted by social media, explains DINZ assistant markets manager Virginia Connell, “but it was timed a little earlier to align with Matariki” and to raise awareness collectively for New Zealand venison at start of the Northern Hemisphere barbecue season.

“We want them to start thinking about the versatility of our venison and replace the usual meat that goes on the barbecue, ultimately expanding sales out of commodity and to create a stable market.”

Alongside the embassy event, this year's events included NZ venison as part of a high-profile German BBQ gourmet black box competition for chefs, run by Alliance’s partner Bimpex. Another BBQ competition has been running in Citti Markt’s stores in Lubeck, Kiel and Flensburg. This is a repeat activity for the new customer, which only started stocking New Zealand venison last year. There was also social media activity from DINZ and venison exporters.

The 2024 NZ Venison BBQ Week results are being collated to see what has been most effective to inform future activity, says Connell.

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Deer Milking NZ celebrates 10 years

Moving to Peel Forest Estate from Mt Somers Station led to the development of a brand-new deer milking facility this year, marking Deer Milking NZ’s tenth season of deer milking.

Entrepreneurial Peel Forest Estate owner Graham Carr was the first to spot the opportunity over a decade ago and worked with DMNZ co-founder Mark Faulks “to see if we can milk deer,” relates commercial director – and Carr’s step-daughter– Rebecca Davidson.

Deer in the milking stall.

Their educated hunch to add value to a then completely unutilised co-product proved true and demand for its deer milk has grown, particularly in Southeast Asia – where it now exports innovative end-use consumer products for the nutraceutical and pet health industries.

The vision now is for Peel Forest Deer Milk to be regarded as ‘the world’s most premium milk,” says Davidson.

After nine years of deer milking at Mt Somers, learning as they went, Davidson became a project manager who wrangled architects, engineers and tradies to put together a purpose-built deer milking unit at Peel Forest Estate. This January, the operation moved into the new unit, managed by head deer milker Irishman Simon Wakefield and designed to milk 40-50 hinds an hour, each producing one litre of milk per day.

Many congratulations to the DMNZ team for what Davidson describes as a “roller coaster” 10 years of hard work. She’s very excited about the future for deer milk.

“There have been many times where we have thought, ‘Oh this is just too hard’,” she says, “but if it was easy, everyone would be doing it!

“We know there is something very special in deer milk and are just now starting to really crack the science and nutrition aspect, with new product development underway.”

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SFF Kennington opens its doors to venison suppliers

Two open days at Silver Fern Farms’ venison plant at Kennington, near Invercargill, attracted about 90 farmer suppliers. The event was the first of its kind since Covid and an opportunity for suppliers to see the processing chain in action.

Silver Fern Farms’ Jason Coutts explains the range of grass-fed venison cuts produced at Silver Fern Farms Kennington.

“We know that farmers spend a lot of time caring for their deer and appreciate seeing the care we take along the processing chain,” SFF chief livestock supply manager Jarrod Stewart said.

The specialist venison plant, operating since 1986, employs 60-plus people, depending on the time of the year, and has a daily throughput of 200–300 animals.

What became apparent during the tour were the stringent health and safety and hygiene protocols, as well as the waste-not ethos – with almost complete nose-to-tail utilisation. Plant manager Jason Coutts said minimising carcase wastage and weight-loss prior to boning was a big focus. That was achieved through minimal and consistent trimming along the chain and spray-chilling to minimise carcase weight loss to 400 grams or less. The carcases were chilled to 7°C before delivery to the boning room the next day.

The specialist skills of the boning room staff were apparent, with boning out a carcase taking between five to 10 minutes depending on size and complexity of the cuts.

The final cuts displayed and explained by Coutts were customer-led, he said. The tour concluded with a complementary venison burger and a chance to chat with SFF staff.

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Cracker of a Big Day Out for Massey University’s vet students

Manawatu put on a stunner of a day for the 10 July Big Deer Day Out, a DINZ-run day focusing on a deep and wide range of deer topics for Massey University’s final year vet students, reports DINZ communications manager Cam Frecklington.

Some of the prospective vets learning about the deer industry from DINZ producer manager Lindsay Fung (left) and deer research from policy and research manager Emil Murphy.

The morning started early at Mike Humphrey’s farm just outside of Feilding. The Central Regions deer farmer, and chair of the NZDFA’s Central Regions branch, gave an overview of his farm and his 40-plus years of experience farming deer to the 35 vet students.

The morning’s programme involved touring the property’s deer shed, converted from a woolshed in the 1980s, followed by sessions from Humphreys on deer handling and husbandry. Sharon McIntyre then introduced them to DeerSelect’s genetic programmes, followed by others on velvet, herd management and velvetting procedures, “with most of the students brave enough to try some of the end products from the Korean market,” Frecklington explained.

After a barbecue lunch at the Massey University Large Animal Unit, organised by NZDFA’s Central Regions branch, the students heard from Massey graduate Daniel Vaughan, who is now with VetPlus. Vaughan covered a series of problems he has seen in deer in the field, complete with extensive imagery, which students were then challenged to diagnose.

Matt Carroll’s mixed-species family farm in Pohangina Valley, with its “fantastic views”, was the venue for the afternoon’s programme focused on venison and mixed production systems. Students learned deer are a valued part of the Carrolls’ diverse mix before diving into venison production specifics, including weaner management and finishing and parasite and disease management. Another round of 101 chats covered venison genetics (McIntyre) and science and research in the deer industry from DINZ science and policy manager Emil Murphy.

“It was a great day to engage with the next generation of large animal vets and possibly convince a few of the possibilities of a future career with deer,” says Frecklington.

The day was organised by the DINZ industry capability team, and supported by NZDFA Central Regions, as part of the industry pathways initiative. Thanks must go to the Humphrey and Carroll families for hosting the students, to the Massey students and staff who attended the day and First Light Foods for sponsoring the lunch.

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Hickey appointed as interim chair for DINZ board

Gerard Hickey has been appointed as interim chair of the DINZ board, starting on 1 July.

DINZ interim board chair Gerard Hickey.

Hickey, group general manager for First Light Farms, has been a DINZ board member since 2018 and its vice-chair since 2022. He will remain in the temporary position until the current situation is resolved.

The move follows the outcome of the NZDFA’s selection and appointment panel (SAP)’s process last month, that led to former chair Mandy Bell vacating her seat, when John Tacon was selected as a producer-appointee. The NZDFA decision is being challenged and expected to be finalised in the coming weeks. Until the outcome is known, the chair’s position remains vacant. No comment will be made by either DINZ or NZDFA until the conclusion of that process.

In the meantime, the board continues its work with seven members. Among other things, this will include a refresh of the deer industry’s ‘Thrive with Passion’ strategy, approving a draft 2024-2025 budget for consultation and the organisation's search for a permanent chief executive.

The DINZ executive continues its work under the guidance of interim chief executive Rhys Griffiths. He, along with the DINZ board and executive, have been out on the road this week, meeting Marlborough deer farmers in Nelson while there for a DINZ board meeting.

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