Deer Industry NZ has an active communications programme that aims to inform everyone involved or interested in deer farming about industry activities and other deer-related matters. Our communications include Deer Industry News, an A4 magazine published 6 times a year; DINZ eNews, an e-letter published 10-12 times a year; and Stagline On-line, a monthly e-letter published for the NZ Deer Farmers Association.
For more about these publications or to subscribe, click here >> All articles, media releases and publications produced by DINZ are searchable below. Stagline On-line is only available to NZDFA members >>
Featured items

Better venison prices are top DINZ priority
17 June 2022
We couldn’t bring you to Wellington, so we brought Wellington to you. DINZ’s top priority is to assist with the recovery in venison prices, DINZ chief executive Innes Moffat reports from the six-stop 2022 DINZ Road Trip, a shortened version of the annual conference.

Venison prices on track
17 June 2022
Venison has been hit hardest by Covid-19 and when will prices fully recover? That was the main topic of the DINZ Board Q&A session in Palmerston North, chaired by Dr Ian Walker. Recovery is happening, but the work of lifting sustainably from commodity markets needs to continue, deer farmers heard.

First dried velvet exported to China
17 June 2022
PGG Wrightson exported the first ever dry velvet to China earlier this month – a sign of the changing times for New Zealand deer velvet, which is targeting health food companies in the emerging market in a bid to increase value for farmers.

DINZ news in brief | Issue 88
17 June 2022
Velvet exports could reach $200 million in the next decade | Venison still in recovery mode | Co-innovation the way forward for deer research | New improved VelTrak tags | Cantabrians needed to help educate regulators | Proposed NAIT levy hike trimmed back | New Zealand deer milk wins international dairy award | Trophy hunters return, along with potential risk | Thanks for talking to us

Deer industry wants to stay in the climate conversation
8 June 2022
DINZ supports He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) partners’ decision to submit their recommendations to the government. Concerns remain about potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing to have a severe financial impact on some deer farms. Reducing emissions from food production, without threatening farmers’ viability is one of the most important issues for society to deal with.

Deer Industry News Issue 113 April/May/June 2022
21 April 2022
Venison in the UK: Alliance partners with NZ beer, Collective in clever UK venison promotion | Weaner Sales: Demand for stag weaners bounce back but caution in market for hinds | Immune Function: Initial research into velvet effect on immune function highlights good leads
Recent updates

19 May 2022
Farmer gas challenges recognised by government ministers
The deer industry welcomes the government’s decision to fund the development of tools for farmers to use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from their livestock. “At present there is literally nothing many hill and high country farmers can do to reduce their emissions of methane and nitrous oxide short of reducing stock numbers. This in turn would reduce their ability to pay the emissions charges the government proposes to introduce in 2025,” says Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) chief executive Innes Moffat. The message taken on board by the minister and his colleagues is that farmers need tools to allow them to reduce GHG emissions and that the pathways to their development are sped up.
19 May 2022

19 May 2022
It’s all go in Sweden
Venison from Mountain River was showcased to Swedish retail and foodservice customers last week by distributor Menigo. Mountain River’s Swedish partner Gustaf Kugelberg reports the fair, held in the old town hall of central Swedish town Sundsvall, was “very good” and attended by 250 buyers. It’s all part of Mountain River Venison’s retail marketing activity in Sweden, supported by the DINZ Marketing Innovation Fund.
19 May 2022

19 May 2022
Deer Code gets pressure cooked!
Work on the new Deer Code of Welfare has shifted up a gear, with the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) aiming to have public consultation on the document completed ahead of the coming velvet season. NAWAC is aiming to have public consultation on the document completed ahead of the coming velvet season. The original Deer Code of Welfare was first issued in 2007 and apart from a couple of minor facelifts, has changed little since that time. A working group is reviewing the current draft.
19 May 2022

19 May 2022
Deer Farmers play a part in Otago’s fresh-water solution
The deer industry is contributing real data and knowledge about the sector into the Farmer/Grower Workstream of the Otago Regional Council (ORC)’s new Economic Work Programme (EWP). DINZ producer manager Lindsay Fung, environmental stewardship manager Sara Elmes and Tony Pearse are representing the deer industry in a new online forum – the ‘Otago Land and Water (LWRP) Economic Industry Advisory Group – which meets virtually every fortnight in the early phases of the programme.
19 May 2022

19 May 2022
DINZ news in brief | Issue 87
Confidence in market diversification holding the ship steady | Velvet sector growth, despite Covid challenges | New research on velvet and immunity published | Deer 101 on wintering deer for MPI and council officials | P2P post-programme update | Fixing emissions factors with DeerPRO | NAIT accreditation opens to applicants | 50 years of deer science – Research into finding lungworm early looking promising | New recipient of Korean OMD scholarship | 2022 Big Deer Tour | Wanted: additional director needed for OSPRI | Events
19 May 2022

21 April 2022
DINZ says climate policy fight isn’t over
Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) says the battle to get a greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing system that’s fair to deer farmers is far from over. Its big concern is for those deer farmers who have little or no opportunity to plant trees to offset their emissions.
21 April 2022

21 April 2022
Post-PGP programme being developed to add to Advance Parties
As the Passion2Profit (P2P) co-funded PGP flows into its final six-months, different groups are reflecting on its progress and achievements. Two proposals are being put to the DINZ board: to continue Advance Parties (AP)/Rural Professional Workshops; and a new programme for deer farmers who have been unable to join an AP.
21 April 2022

21 April 2022
Venison entering upmarket retail in China
Over 6,000 retail packs of Alliance’s New Zealand venison have been sold in China since the start of the year, results that the co-operative and its in-market partner Grand Farm are “very pleased about,” according to Alliance Group’s marketing manager for Asia, Ethel Wong.
21 April 2022

21 April 2022
Rare Southern dry
A rare drought in Southland and Otago means deer farmers there are currently feeling the dry. Despite 40-70mm of “useful” rain arriving in two recent events to most deer farmers in the region, which has helped, it was not enough, says NZDFA Southland branch chair Bruce Allan.
21 April 2022

21 April 2022
DINZ news in brief | Issue 86
Spring peak schedule of $9.00/kg | Strong demand for velvet continued to the end of the season | DINZ, NZDFA and SAP nominations received | NAIT levy decision delayed | P2P – Eight picked for the 2022 Big Deer Tour | From the archives – the growth of male red deer for slaughter | Announcing Wormwise’s first manager, Ginny Dodunski
21 April 2022

18 March 2022
More deer voices needed on gas options
All deer farmers are being urged to make their voices heard about the farm greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing options developed by the He Waka Eke Noa (HWEN) partnership. The worst affected by the options are extensive hill- and high-country farms where tree planting is not possible because of climate and soil type, or because it is prohibited in a regional plan.
18 March 2022

18 March 2022
Schedule reflects processors’ optimism
The venison schedule is trending upwards, reflecting venison processors’ optimism. This week’s published schedule prices for AP stags range from $7.95-8.05 per kg – tracking in line with the five-year average for March of $8.04/kg.
18 March 2022

18 March 2022
Omicron disrupts venison processing
Venison processors and deer farmers are busy juggling the uncharted territory of the Omicron outbreak. All processors report staff absences due to illness or isolation with household members, which has reduced capacity and slowed processing of deer.
18 March 2022

18 March 2022
Looking for traction in the UK
Building and maintaining strong customer relationships for NZ venison in the UK has proved challenging for our marketers. Despite this history, they are using the superior cooking quality of NZ venison and our free range farming story to gain traction with chefs and consumers in a country where the ‘buy-local’ sentiment is strong.
18 March 2022

18 March 2022
DINZ news in brief | Issue 85
The HWEN options are better than the NZETS | China strategy making steady progress | Nominations sought for industry leadership | Covid clobbers conference | 50 years of deer science
18 March 2022

17 February 2022
Study highlights financial impact of GHG pricing
DINZ chief executive Innes Moffat says an independent case study has shown that greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing will have a big impact on deer farms that can’t plant trees to offset their emissions of methane and nitrous oxide.
17 February 2022

17 February 2022
Venison schedule graphs the recovery
Published schedule prices to venison farmers are continuing to increase and at around $7.80 a kilogram are their highest since Covid-19 first made its presence felt in early 2020.
17 February 2022

17 February 2022
DINZ news in brief | Issue 84
Velvet season closes on a strong note | KGC creates a real buzz for NZ velvet-based products in Taiwan | Helping deer farmers survive the regulatory machine | Interested in an industry governance role?
17 February 2022

17 February 2022
Three companies win support from 2022 Marketing Innovation Fund
Three venison companies have been selected for support in 2022, the second year of the DINZ Marketing Innovation Fund.
17 February 2022

16 February 2022
Deer Industry News Issue 112 February 2022/March 2022
- Reigniting food service in 2022 - Exporters Positive: venison sentiment takes an upturn as schedule perks up and demand starts to firm - He Waka Eke Noa: farmer feedback needed on two options for reducing emissions - Sire Sales: sales bounce back from last year's low; two sires top $100K; demand across the board
16 February 2022

16 December 2021
Venison market on the move
Average prices to venison producers have been holding well during December and are sitting about $1.50 a kilogram above where they were at the same time last year. Marketers and DINZ are increasingly confident that a long-awaited market recovery is underway and that returns to producers will continue to increase during 2022.
16 December 2021

16 December 2021
Brace yourself, a new normal lies ahead
In an end-of-year message, chief executive Innes Moffat, says 2021 will leave most of us with mixed emotions. Velvet prices have been great, venison prices have improved and will continue to recover. Looking ahead, he predicts thunder and lightning as the government seeks to rush through its environmental agenda.
16 December 2021

16 December 2021
DINZ advises caution under ‘Traffic lights’
The new Covid traffic light system creates a new level of complexity for anyone who has staff, for organisers of deer industry events and for DINZ itself. Moffat advises anyone organising a deer industry event take a cautious approach in order to protect family, staff and visitors.
16 December 2021

16 December 2021
DINZ news in brief | Issue 83
New environmental stewardship manager | VelTrak: thank you | Greenhouse gas consult coming | Big BERSA might help us and more
16 December 2021

1 December 2021
Deer Industry News Issue 111 December 2021/January 2022
Sustainable development model at Queenstown | Water Quality Research | Regenerative Agriculture | Profile of a Deer Industry Team Man
1 December 2021

18 November 2021
Venison recovery underway
The usual drop in farmer returns for venison that follows the spring chilled export season is expected to be much smaller this year. After reaching peak of around $7.10 a kg in October, average prices to deer farmers eased to around $6.90 a kg in mid-November and are expected to stay around that level at least until the end of the year.
18 November 2021

18 November 2021
Deer velvet enjoying strong demand
The 2021/22 deer velvet season has opened on a strong note, with prices up 10 to 15 per cent on last season’s close. This reflects strong underlying consumer demand, as well as the concern of overseas buyers to secure stock in advance of any possible Covid-related supply disruption.
18 November 2021

18 November 2021
Who will look after the deer if Covid arrives?
In the event of a Covid-19 outbreak on a farm it may only be a matter of hours before health officials decide where the infected people and any close contacts will be isolated. Planning for this worst-case scenario is extremely important.
18 November 2021

18 November 2021
DINZ News in Brief | Issue 82
Interested in becoming a board observer? | Full steam ahead on the farm | Study aims to unpick the chemistry of deer grazing behaviour | VelTrak VSD - don’t say ‘No’ if you don’t mean it
18 November 2021

18 October 2021
Velvet strikes a confident note
Velvet companies and Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) are reporting strong underlying demand for NZ deer velvet antler in major Asian markets. The season begins in October each year and runs through to late January.
18 October 2021

18 October 2021
Bright future predicted for farm-raised venison
Venison has a great long-term future, say venison marketers. They predict a steady recovery in prices to farmers in the next 12 months as traditional markets recover and new markets bear fruit.
18 October 2021

18 October 2021
Successor programme for P2P taking shape
As the deer industry’s seven-year Passion2Profit (P2P) programme enters its final year, design work for a successor programme is well advanced. P2P is the Primary Growth Partnership between DINZ and the Ministry for Primary Industries that launched in 2015.
18 October 2021

18 October 2021
DINZ news in brief | Issue 81
NZDFA branch chairs meet online| VelTrak use increasing as season gets underway | Great book published about 50 years of deer farming | Covid is coming, so be prepared and more!
18 October 2021

15 October 2021
Deer Industry News Issue 110 October/November 2021
Customers returning to restaurants in Europe | Hawke's Bay AP day | US retail activities | Next Generation stays farmside
15 October 2021

29 September 2021
Deer farming lobby builds on environmental strengths
Dr Lindsay Fung has been appointed producer manager at DINZ. He is currently the organisation’s environmental stewardship manager. DINZ is now advertising for a new environmental stewardship manager to replace Fung in his current role.
29 September 2021

17 September 2021
Venison demand improves, but shipping remains dire
The gradual opening up of Europe on the back of growing vaccination rates is good news for venison producers. There’s healthy demand for chilled venison from restaurants opening for the game season – the challenge for exporters is getting it there.
17 September 2021

17 September 2021
NZ venison on the menu in top restaurants in China
Marketers of New Zealand farm-raised venison are moving beyond the test kitchen and into leading restaurants in China. The aim is to find a profitable place for venison in the massive Chinese food market.
17 September 2021

17 September 2021
DINZ news in brief - 17 September 2021
VelTrak goes live | VelTrak quick-start guides on their way | New velvet grading chart | Getting to know your number and more.
17 September 2021

30 August 2021
Cervidae Oral article: Correction
The article “First triple active oral drench for deer” pertaining to the launch of Cervidae Oral, published in the Deer Industry News issue 109, August/September 2021, pp20-21 contained an error regarding the efficacy of Cervidae Oral against lungworm.
30 August 2021

20 August 2021
Buyers get hands-on with VelTrak scanners
Velvet buyers, agents and packhouses from across the country are now familiar with the hand-held scanners they will be using to scan VelTrak tagged deer velvet this season. Almost everyone who will be using a scanner in the 2021/22 season attended one of five buyer meetings held in July.
20 August 2021

20 August 2021
Spontaneous outbreak of enthusiasm in the shadow of Covid
It may have been a bitterly cold day in much of the country, but a good number of Kiwis dusted off their barbecues and cooked a venison-based meal on Saturday 7 August, the world’s first Venison BBQ day.
20 August 2021

20 August 2021
DINZ news in brief - 20 August 2021
Covid-19 Level 4 – it’s not business as usual | Need to go to town to pick up some drench? | Great vibes from up the coast | Reduce the risk of Covid transmission | Overseer still useful despite bad rap | Tony Pearse retiring and more...
20 August 2021

11 August 2021
Deer Industry News Issue 109 August/September 2021
Next Generation head to Queenstown, US Retail Venison, Velvet Workshop, Tech Expo Report and more...
11 August 2021

16 July 2021
Welcome expected for new deer drench
The first triple-active oral drench for deer, Cervidae Oral, will be available from rural supplies stores and vets from 1 September. The three actives in the drench are mixed in ratios tailored specifically to deer. The new drench has a 28-day withholding period.
16 July 2021

16 July 2021
Farmed venison scores at major international competition
Grass-fed venison ribs and venison cubes marketed by Silver Fern Farms have been selected as two of the Top 50 products entered in the 17th SIAL China Innovation Competition – one of the world’s biggest food and beverage events.
16 July 2021

16 July 2021
Changing of the Deer QA guard
DINZ has appointed a leading specialist in farm animal welfare, Dr Rob Gregory, as general manager, quality assurance. He replaces John ‘JT’ Tacon who is retiring after working for deer industry organisations for more than 30 years.
16 July 2021

16 July 2021
DINZ news in brief - 16 July 2021
DINZ to submit on proposals for freshwater farm plans | Mandy Bell new DINZ director | NZ Venison BBQ day 7 August | Pamu deer milk nutritional study | Know your number? | VelTrak: don't keep putting it off! | Nitrous oxide is a hell of a gas | Restaurant closures hit UK deer farms too | Taupo deer farmer takes out Rabobank award and more...
16 July 2021

16 July 2021
Venison farmers taking a long-term view
Prices for venison animals during the traditional spring game season are expected to be only a little more than last year. However the contracts on offer from marketers this year are likely to be for larger volumes than in 2020, which means average prices across all venison animals may be higher.
16 July 2021

18 June 2021
Deer Industry News Issue 108 June/July 2021
Conference coverage: Find out what was covered at the 2021 Deer Industry conference. Virtual Tours: Keeping key Korean customers in touch with Kiwi farmers and science. Canterbury floods: Deer farmers region face huge stock recovery challenges and more...
18 June 2021

31 May 2021
Venison marketers unleash creative energy
“It is hellishingly frustrating to be a producer of one of the world’s most healthy and delicious proteins and to lose nearly all your top-end customers overnight. It’s never happened before. Not for New Zealand food producers anyway.”
31 May 2021

31 May 2021
DINZ news in brief - 31 May 2021
Award winner breaks the mould | Great conference in the south | STOP PRESS: South Canterbury deer farmers hit by storm | Registered for VelTrak yet? | Know your GHG number; it matters | Need help with your winter grazing plan or GHG numbers? | Damien O’Connor on hot topics and more...
31 May 2021

31 May 2021
Global food brands seeking farmers with a plan
Global food brands, consumers and investors are looking for the proof that food producers are acting in an ethical and environmentally sustainable manner. New Zealand farmers agree that one of the best way to do this is for each farmer to have a robust farm environmental plan.
31 May 2021

26 May 2021
Hawkes Bay farmers win premier deer environmental award
The winners of the 2021 Elworthy Award, the premier environmental accolade for deer farmers, are Grant and Sally Charteris, Forest Road Farm, Central Hawkes Bay. The award was presented at the Deer Industry Conference in Invercargill earlier this month.
26 May 2021

1 April 2021
VelTrak™ coming down the line
Good progress is being made with the roll-out of VelTrak™, the new electronic track and trace system that is being introduced in readiness for the 2021/22 velvet season. Registration for vets and buyers opens on 6 April and for farmers on 3 May.
1 April 2021

29 March 2021
DINZ news in brief - March 2021
Central Hawke's Bay deer farmers Evan and Linda Potter win the National Ballance Farm Environment Award (BFEA) | DINZ submitting on Climate Change Report on behalf of deer sector | Velvet boots on the ground in China
29 March 2021

22 July 2020
It’s official: progeny of high-CARLA sires can grow better
Deer farmers have a new tool available in their fight against one of their industry’s most productivity-sapping animal health challenges: internal parasites.