I want to sell some of the meat I am harvesting and want to know the correct way to go about it. Jonny Crockett replies...

Q: I’ve been shooting for a few years and would like to know more about how to sell the fruits of my evening labours around the fields and hedgerows. What do I need to do to be able to take them to the game dealers?

JONNY CROCKETT replies: My advice would be to go on a Game Meat Hygiene course, as it sounds like you are shooting rabbits, pigeons and small game. I would check out the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation website for details of the course. The course provides information about EU rules and regulations on taking food to Approved Game Handling Establishments (AGHE), more commonly known as ‘game dealers’, and about introducing the game you shoot or trap into the human food chain. It’s a one-day course and costs around £120. The certificate is a lifelong certificate but the onus to update yourself will be driven by changes in legislation.