Ernslaw One has been doing more than growing trees recently.  The forestry company’s workers have been turning their pest management activities into minced venison for local foodbanks and it is planned to take the initiative nationwide.

Feral deer are a major issue for forestry companies as they eat young trees and, during autumn, will debark young trees with their antlers.  The keen hunters amongst Ernslaw’s staff put their hands up to help with the problem and have turned regular pest control into a big win for Southland’s vulnerable families.

Ernslaw One’s General Manager – South Island & Export, Phil de la Mare, says atrial was carried out in mid-December and a successful result will see a regular programme being established.

“We looked at the Silver Fern Farms model and what cuts of meat would work for mincing unto provide an easy form of meat with multiple uses.  We partnered with Blue Mountain Home Kill and Processing which is MPI approved and they processed five deer into 150kg of mince.  That equated to 300 packs of mince, and we understand the community loved it,” explained de la Mare.

“This is a fantastic solution to a problem shared by forest growers as well as neighboring crop farmers who have welcomed the initiative.”

The 500gmince packs were distributed to families in need through the West Otago Combined Churches Food Bank.  Janet Hutchison, Food Bank coordinator in Tapanui, said what started out as a small local approach has grown into a much wider community effort.

“We were very grateful for the generous gesture right before Christmas.  The meat is a huge gift for families with children and we are excited that this is to become a regular donation.  Food banks don’t often have the ability to be able to provide fresh meat and you can’t get healthier meat than free ranging deer.  

We have been able to support two other Food Banks – Roxburgh, who had no other source of meat, and Gore, from this donation, and we look forward to continuing to do so,” says Mrs Hutchison.

Ernslaw One is proposing to extend the programme into its three other regions this year which will see food banks in Marlborough, Bulls and Gisborne beefed up with fresh venison.

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