Selling Venison?

[Monkey Spanker]

The email I had today suggested they can.

I've been registered for years. They have never visited unannounced and only visited twice. Once when I first set up and the two years later. Since then, just a phone call to ask if anything has altered.
I phoned to say I was going to start selling crayfish in the summer and they just wanted an updated HACCP to include this.
Venison is a low risk product so they are not that concerned. People fear registering but it is just a formality really.
MS

 

[jordang]

The registration is to ensure that the LA know who is putting food into the system, that way if owt goes wrong then they have a starting point for investigations.... LA's have more than enough work on their hands inspecting much higher risk food operations than our activities. Plus registering shows that you have the right intent and are probably going to be following the rules.... if you want advice on food hygiene related things they are normally more than happy to advise and (should) be assisting you rather than preventing you.

 

[Ben1987]

I went and had a chat with my LA the other day, he said the way the regulations were written is particularly daft and some of the rules refer back to other rules in the paper that then refer back to the previous rule and it goes round in circles. I gave him my plan of attack - skinning/hanging in the garage and fridges in the garage and then cutting up in the kitchen and vacuum packing and freezing until I use it or have a customer to sell it to. He was very helpful and seemed very positive. Pretty sure it won't be plain sailing regarding cutting up in the kitchen but he's coming round to tell me what I need to do to get passed, he said it won't be too hard. He recommended doing a good hygiene cert which I did for about £12 online.

 

[karlbird]

Just had a call from the LA - they are coming to inspect my 'facilities' next week. I have told them not to expect too much, just a converted domestic fridge and a stainless table - so will see how it goes. He is bringing some paperwork to chat through, I also asked about the next step and skinning/buthcering - he is going to talk me through that too. Stratts has kindly offered to show me his beforehand so hopefully it will be just a hoop to jump through.

 

[bowji john]

you need to read this - it is relevent for all of us with DSC1
http://www.food.gov.uk/…/multime…/pdfs/wildgameguide0611.pdf

 

[User00001]

you need to read this - it is relevent for all of us with DSC1
http://www.food.gov.uk/…/multime…/pdfs/wildgameguide0611.pdf

Five years out of date. Better to read the one in the link earlier that is the latest revision.

 

[Ferryman]

Just reading the guide and wondered about this section and the reference to the vehicle used to transport to AGHE.

You are required to register as a food businesswith your Local Authority and comply with thegeneral hygiene requirements for primaryproducers. This includes any vehicle you usewhen supplying an AGHE and your game larder, ifyou use it to store game before it goes to anAGHE as well as the specific provisions ofRegulation 853/2004 that apply to the initialhandling of wild game intended for subsequentsupply to an AGHE

 

[devon deer stalker]

I've been registered for years. They have never visited unannounced and only visited twice. Once when I first set up and the two years later. Since then, just a phone call to ask if anything has altered.
I phoned to say I was going to start selling crayfish in the summer and they just wanted an updated HACCP to include this.
Venison is a low risk product so they are not that concerned. People fear registering but it is just a formality really.
MS

Almost same as me, 2 announced visits, but no crayfish!
I agree, just register, it's easy and they are very helpful.
Cheers
Richard

 

[Wwm]

Dear all

Have a look at: [FONT=&quot]http://www.thedeerinitiative.co.uk/uploads/guides/137.pdf[/FONT]

If in doubt -consult BP Guidance.

If you want the source document that is due to be updated in the next few months, go to:

[FONT=&quot]http://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/multimedia/pdfs/guidance/wild-game-guide.pdf


[/FONT]

 

[Cris]

Called my LA and asked the Q. They New nothing about it and I am awaiting them investigating it. Not clear at all if you are a recreational stalker. Fine if you are a pro with larder and company wagon etc.

 

[Ben1987]

As for the second part of mys question, can anyone please give me an idea of what they get for venison, when not selling full carcasses in the fur?

I made a few enquiries before I bothered to go to the LA and get the ball rolling, after all if it's going to cost me £X to get my place sorted to comply with the regs and I'd only get back sub £3/lb then I'd rather stock pile the freezer for myself. Brother runs a pub so that helps and when I said £5/lb for haunches he didn't bat an eye just asked how much I could get! The other bits - sausage meat, stewing meat etc would be £3/lb. But for a small bit of effort id probably convert the cheap bits into sausages and burgers myself and sell them to him processed like that as I'd get a higher return for packs of sausages than for the unprocessed sausage meat.

 

[karlbird]

Thanks very much - useful to know, I'll see how my visit goes and what I can do afterwards but it definitely seems worth going the extra mile to sell processed cuts.

 

[Cris]

Now I have all the facts and my LA has come back to me with the advice that yes you do have to register to supply an AGHE or game dealer venison in fur but not if you want ot sell it to a butcher! This is EU at its best is it not.....
So my guess is that there are hundreds or even thousands of people out there selling to AGHE's without the correct EU registration. Needles to say my own is now in the post....

 

[The tramp]

Not in small (less than 300per annum) quantities

 

[Cris]

Nope if you sell to a AGHE you need to register.

 

[karlbird]

If anyone is following this and is interested - I had the head of EH come round this evening to do my inspection.

Plan A - Carcasses in fur to AGHE - No issues with my garage, was not fussed at all - no paperwork required other than cull record allowing traceability, all I have to do is add 2 columns to my cull register, tag number and where sold to/date.

Plan B - Processed carcass, skinned and jointed down, vacuum packed and sold to pubs/restaurants - Not in the garage. Too much other stuff in there that could contaminate, and has a carpet on the floor that would need to be changed, plus no running water/waste. This was a bit disappointing, but as we sat down in my kitchen to chat other things through, he noticed my stainless table would fit in my kitchen and that is already a 'food room' - so, much to Mrs B's dislike, carcass prep for sale will be done in my kitchen. Again, no more paperwork required and no mention of risk assesments/HACCP etc, just a record breaking down the cuts so they can be traced. Interestingly, a date is required on anything vac packed as it only has a shelf life of 10 days.

No more visits, a questionnaire to check nothing else has changed in 3 years time and I can now sell vension, rabbits, hares, pheasants etc to AGHEs and pubs/restaurants.

It may be different in other areas, but in North Kesteven that is how it is and I hope the above helps others to go through with it, had I have known that years ago I would have done it then - as those pesky animals would say - SIMPLES!

 

[devon deer stalker]

No HACCAP plans required?
That's a new one on me.

So now to the next step, labeling/weights and measures that meet the trading standards requirements.

Then insurance.

You are almost there!

Cheers

Richard

 

[karlbird]

Nope - no mention of the above, the guy was very sensible about it all. A label to identify the joint/cut and give traceability was all that was required.

 

[The Singing Stalker]

I was watching the shooting show tonight and thre was a guy with the mobile butchery units and that interested me as I want to do similiar with my garage, I want to convert a 1/3 to food processing and separate the areas with that hanging strip stuff you can get. I need to look into it a lot more before I get around to it but the idea seems sound and if the area doesn't need to be kept chilled then I'm onto a result. The garage is always cool when I do any work in there anyway. I have a separate chiller to hang the meat in and a freezer for the meat when finished obviously.

 

[karlbird]

All I can say, is before you spend any money speak to your LA - from what I have seen tonight they seem to want to promote common sense and may save you a bob or two.