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 food banks nationwide.

Feral deerare a major issue for forestry companies as they eat young trees and, duringautumn, will debark young trees with their antlers.  The keen hunters amongst Ernslaw’s staff puttheir hands up to help with the problem and have turned regular pest controlinto a big win for the lower South Island’s vulnerable families.

Roger Mariu, Silviculture Supervisor for Ernslaw One’s Southland region, says the idea of removing deer from the environment and turning the meat into venison mince to donate to the local Tapanui food bank has been welcomed by local foodbanks.

“Whatstarted off as a trial has now turned into a regular programme of venisondonations.  The mince provides an easyform of meat with multiple uses,” explains Mariu.

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

The 500gmince packs were initially distributed to families in need through the WestOtago Combined Churches Food Bank.  JanetHutchison, Food Bank coordinator in Tapanui, said what started out as a smalllocal approach has grown into a much wider community effort.

“We werevery grateful for the generous gesture. The meat is a huge gift for families with children and we welcome thesedonations.  Food banks don’t often havethe ability to be able to provide fresh meat and you can’t get healthier meatthan free ranging deer,” says Janet.  

Thequantity of meat has been such that foodbanks in Roxburgh and Gore have alsoreceived donations, including, most recently, the Salvation Army in Gore.

Michelle Chirnside, Community Ministries Mission Coordinator for Salvation Army says the meat donation makes a huge difference to its foodbank and the people it serves.

“We are so grateful for the meat and we get many comments about its quality and taste. Itis such a delight to be able to feed so many families.  We would run out of meat if Ernslaw didn’t make  deliveries to us,” says Michelle.

“There is always an increase in demand during the school holidays and over winter.  With the increasing cost of living, demand is higher than ever.  People are really struggling, and their fight is real. Having so much to already stress about, being able to feed their family shouldn’t be one of them,” continues Michelle.

Another recipient of Ernslaw’s venison donation programme, the Presbyterian Support Otago foodbank, has also seen a significant increase in demand due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Chairman of the Presbyterian Support Otago board, Tim Mepham, says the organisation supplies around 100 food parcels every week and meat is a part of each package.  

“We have seen a notable increase in numbers of families accessing our services due to the high cost of living.  There are a surprising number of people in hardship. We generally have to buy meat to distribute to meet the demand in our community so receiving 100kgs of venison mince from the boys at John McGlashan College and the Ernslaw team has made a massive difference.  We are incredibly grateful,” explains Tim.

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John Hollows, Aquaculture Manager at Ernslaw One, says when John McGlashan College held a hunting competition, he saw it as an opportunity to help feed people in need in the local community.

“We opened up our Naseby Forest for the competition and some of the students and I spent a day boning, mincing and bagging the venison for the school to donate to the Presbyterian Support Otago foodbank.  It was a good day with a great result,” concluded John.

Ernslaw One is also carrying out the mince donation programme in its three other regions which will see food banks in Marlborough, Bulls and Gisborne beefed up with fresh venison.

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