2025 could be a window of opportunity for farmers to get into the deer industry, as the sheep industry faces tough times. With new market access opportunities opening up in China and South Korea, and the benefits of mixed species farming in mind, could it be the year of the deer for New Zealand farmers?

Guests include:

1. Rhys Griffiths, CEO, Deer Industry New Zealand

2. Mark McCoard, Chairman, New Zealand Deer Farmers Association

Hosts:

1. Rebecca Greaves, Editor, Country-Wide

2. Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Managing Director, CountryWide Media

Taihape deer farmer Mark McCoard farms a velvet focussed operation in his mixed species farm, alongside cattle and sheep. He is also the Chairman of the New Zealand Deer Farmers Association (NZDFA). He says the beauty of having deer as part of his operation is that once you have the deer fencing up you can run anything behind it, and this could be a great opportunity for the next generation of farmers. He also discusses how deer could help in the battle against drench resistance.

• Learn more about the NZDFA here.

Velvet access to China has been a challenge for Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ), but with market access restored, it’s opening up the market for New Zealand. The new CEO of DINZ, Rhys Griffiths, discusses the deer market at the moment, including what a Trump administration in the USA will mean for exporting to America, what the Chinese and South Korea markets are looking for, and more about the upcoming Deer Industry Awards next year.

• Find out more about the awards and nominations here.

• Read the Summer issue of Country-Wide Magazine here.

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