Selling Venison

[Tom102938]

Hi All,

Tried finding information online but coming up short.

I am wondering what I need in Scotland to be able to sell venison to locals?

I have a few locals interested in buying butchered venison from myself, so wanting to do it properly so I dont get in the Sh*t.

Any advice would be helpful.

Cheers

 

[Klenchblaize]

Plenty of threads on here explaining Compliance requirements so I won't cover old ground, other than to state you'll need to be prepared to commit time & money to get to a point of FSA "Small Food Business" status.

K

 

[HonestJohn]

Unless you are willing to invest a fair amount of money and time, the. Report on your self assessment etc, and have a decent ongoing sales stream, you might be better giving it away in exchange for a friendly agreement for a bottle of scotch or similar.

 

[HarryG]

Hi Tom - I found this table from BDS pretty useful. I think you just get in touch with your local authority but can only sell in the fir within your local authority. I’ve got Lantra large game meat hygiene.

https://bds.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Supplying-and-Selling-Venison-to-the-Food-Chain-and-Trained-Hunter-The-British-Deer-Society-BDS-UK-Summary-Sheet.pdf

 

[HarryG]

*fur

 

[User00056]

As a minimum, you'll need -

To register with your local authority
Venison Dealers License
Suitable chilled storage
Suitable skinning area
Suitable butchering area
HACCP
Carcass, cleaning, and temperature log
Large Game Handling certificate
Food Hygiene Level 2
Public Liability insurance

Myself and a couple of other members that I know personally actually 'walk the walk' on this. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions? I'll do my best to help guide you through the pain

 

[slider]

Register with your LA as a small producers
Register as a venison dealer (needless expense for a hunter producer imho but that's for another day).
Chilling, skinning butchering area - i use a lined garden shed and a second hand larder fridge.
HACCP
logs and record keeping.
You may already have the food hygiene bit, depending on when you did your DSC1.
Lots of useful info here.Wild game | Food Standards Scotland

 

[sauer]

Recommend you go onto FSA website and also do the free online allergen training course
EHO will advise help ypu with
Labelling guidelines
Quid statements for processed products
Best before or use by dates
And cleaning products etc
Lot of it is common sense and
Time spent keeping records
And of course cleaning !

 

[homer]

Reading the list of all the necessities, it's no wonder more venison isn't eaten locally.
It restricts stalkers to sell local and forces customers to pay through the nose by going to supermarkets/butchers.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Interested in the Op's response.

K

 

[HonestJohn]

Reading the list of all the necessities, it's no wonder more venison isn't eaten locally.
It restricts stalkers to sell local and forces customers to pay through the nose by going to supermarkets/butchers.

True, but there has to be a level of food safety standards to be adhered to

 

[VSS]

Reading the list of all the necessities, it's no wonder more venison isn't eaten locally.
It restricts stalkers to sell local and forces customers to pay through the nose by going to supermarkets/butchers.

You're contradicting yourself somewhat there. And you're incorrect.

Anyway, regardless of that, it's nowhere near as restrictive as you might think:
These days, we can include Internet sales in addition to the more traditional face-to-face. So, as a small producer, you can basically ship out venison to anywhere in the UK, provided it is direct to the final consumer. I don't feel that's too restrictive. Do you?
It is only when you are supplying another retailer with venison that you are geographically restricted to your own LA area or within 30 miles of the boundary of your LA area.
(England and Wales. Not sure about Scotland).

 

[Tom102938]

Interested in the Op's response.

K

Yeah I'm just going to leave it haha to much of a ball ache.

I have spoken to said people and we have an "arrangement" in place shall we say

 

[sauer]

An " arrangement " doesn't cover your ar5e if anyone falls ill and you end up with EHO knocking on your door anyway

Apart from the illegality of it and potentially jeopardising your certs

At very least if your going down fast route do some online food hygiene training and allergen training ....


Bottom line your dealing with stuff going Into food chain it's got to be bl00dy right

Paul

 

[homer]

True, but there has to be a level of food safety standards to be adhered to

Yes, I understand there has to be a certain level for safety reasons.
But on the flip side, I have been in some butchers/cafes etc that have been so dirty, that I've walked straight back out, and I've also bought half a lamb from a friendly farmer, who has no fsa certs, where you could eat your dinner off the floor.
It all comes down to knowing where the meet comes from.

 

[Tom102938]

An " arrangement " doesn't cover your ar5e if anyone falls ill and you end up with EHO knocking on your door anyway

Apart from the illegality of it and potentially jeopardising your certs

At very least if your going down fast route do some online food hygiene training and allergen training ....


Bottom line your dealing with stuff going Into food chain it's got to be bl00dy right

Paul

I am covered with the deal I have in place, deer shot, examined by myself (trained hunter status) and sold in fur. They are going to butcher it themselves.

 

[sauer]

Knowing where it comes from is one thing

Knowing if its been handled correctly and to a standard etc is another

 

[Tom102938]

Knowing where it comes from is one thing

Knowing if its been handled correctly and to a standard etc is another

Well, I have everything my end to cover me to sell in fur.

Each deer is recorded and put into my own records, if I don't think it should go into the food chain, it won't.

 

[sauer]

My comment was inreply to homers last sentence or so in his reply

Mind register with your EHO still as a food business
CYA .Cover Your Ar5e

 

[Ant ler]

I have been selling my own venison for a few years now. Process for setting up isn't as invasive as you think. Sure it does cost a bit of money. From the thread I have read so far @Quixoye is spot on with regards to the requirements needed to sell venison. Feel free to get in touch if I can help you in anyway.