The British Game Alliance is continuing its work in securing a future for game shooting and a market for game meat by unveiling its lead-free shoot register.

The organisation remains committed to the five-year phase out of lead ammunition as it strives to grow the amount oof game meat consumed in the UK, while appreciating that much of the food industry is demanding lead-free game.

BGA chief executive Liam Stokes explained: “To protect that future, we need to have a strong sense of what it is going to look like, and from every conversation we have with supermarkets, restaurant chains and stockists of all shapes and sizes, that future is lead-free.

“We will work to assure every shoot and promote all game meat, but we have to ensure that those retailers who sell substantial quantities of game can continue to do so once they have made the decision to go lead-free.

“The reality is that we cannot yet guarantee a lead-free product but what we can do is start to assure lead-free shoots. This won’t be for everyone, we don’t expect all our registered shoots to make the jump straight away… and nor should they.

“But for those that are able to transition now and wish to market their game as having been shot on lead-free shoots, we are launching the lead-free register. Shoots that sign up will be agreeing to a new standard within our assurance scheme, committing to writing and following their own protocol to prevent the use of lead ammunition on their shoot.

“We can then let game dealers, processors and stockists know where they can source game produced on shoots that are both lead-free and assured. And that is most definitely the future.”

To find out more, visit www.britishgamealliance.co.uk