Countryside Alliance Ireland - love the countryside

Countryside Alliance’s Game-to-Eat campaign has revealed the results of a new survey of shoots, and it’s good news for game: 90% of shoots feel the market is at least as strong as five years ago and well over half feel it is stronger.

In April and May this year Game-to-Eat conducted a survey of the state of the market, facilities and the impact of recent legislation.  5,411 shoots were sent the survey, with the aim of taking the industry’s temperature in the wake of changes in legislation.

Game-to-Eat Director Alexia Robinson commented: “With the changes in EU regulations and an increase in demand for game, we were keen to find out how the industry is adapting, and it is to shoots’ immense credit that they are meeting challenges head-on.

“Increased public awareness of the health benefits of game has resulted in soaring sales and huge confidence in the industry, but the shooting sector must not become complacent.  Game is very “of the moment” with celebrity chefs keen to champion this local, traceable, free range, nutritious product, so the next challenge is to consolidate that success to ensure that it is not just a flash in the pan.”

Ends…

Notes to Editors

Key findings of the survey:
·    90% of shoots feel the market is at least as strong as five years ago, with over half feeling it is stronger
·    No shoots report having difficulties finding a market for game.
·    Increased awareness of the new EU meat hygiene regulations has resulted in more shoots using purpose-built, chilled game handling facilities.
·    Two-thirds of full-time keepered shoots now have a chilling facility, up from one-third in 2006.
·    Over half of full-time keepered shoots have upgraded their game storage facilities since 2006.
·    Half of all full-time keepered shoots have registered their game storage facility with their Local Authority.
·    The amount of birds fully-traceable back to shoots has increased by a third with over half of full-time keepered shoots guaranteeing traceability on all batches.
·    Two-thirds of shot deer are now inspected on the shoot by a trained person (up from 57% in 2006)