Experts urge Britons to eat more venison as deer numbers increase

Do you care about our trees? Then eat more VENISON! Experts say drop in meat demand has boosted the number of deer in our forests… threatening British woodland as they feast on saplings

  • Countryside campaigners are urging Britons to eat as much venison as possible
  • Drop in demand has caused deer numbers to increase, threatening woodland  
  • Recent closure of restaurants has led to a dramatic fall in UK venison sales

Venison was once considered an exclusive meat to be eaten on special occasions.

But now countryside campaigners have urged the public to eat as much of the meat as possible to save British woodlands.

Drop in demand has caused the number of deer in the country’s forests to reach an unsustainable level, threatening British woodland. Deer are known to eat newly planted trees as well as grass and berries.

Demand for venison had been dwindling before the pandemic, with the import of cheaper substitutes from New Zealand, Spain and Portugal. But the recent closure of restaurants has led to a dramatic fall in UK venison sales.

But now countryside campaigners have urged the public to eat as much venison as possible to save British woodlands

Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Sam Carlisle of the Countryside Alliance said: ‘Given the historically low price for venison, now is the time to head to your local butcher and ask for a venison steak, or indeed some venison sausages or burgers.

‘They are leaner than most meat, utterly delicious and you can be sure that your Sunday lunch will be helping maintain Britain’s precious biodiversity.’

The UK deer population is estimated at two million, the highest level for 1,000 years. Each year around 600,000 deer need to be killed to control the population.

As they have no natural predators in the UK, numbers would double every year if left unchecked.

Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Sam Carlisle of the Countryside Alliance said: ¿Given the historically low price for venison, now is the time to head to your local butcher and ask for a venison steak (pictured), or indeed some venison sausages or burgers'

Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Sam Carlisle of the Countryside Alliance said: ‘Given the historically low price for venison, now is the time to head to your local butcher and ask for a venison steak (pictured), or indeed some venison sausages or burgers’

Experts fear that would result in trees and native plants being destroyed, especially in areas such as Norfolk’s Thetford Forest and Hampshire’s New Forest.

Mr Carlisle said: ‘Not only is this an economic catastrophe for our deer farmers, but it also spells worry for our wildlife as well.

‘Without the ability to put carcasses into the food chain, deer managers will be loath to continue the very necessary deer cull.’