Farming Today (today, 1 minute into the programme) features former chartered accountant Sophie Bagley and her game meat enterprise in Yorkshire (as featured earlier in the Mail Online).
What she says about game meat is largely true – it is low cholesterol, it is low carbon, it is low fat and to some extent game animals may have a better life than farmed chickens (although most Pheasants are farmed too remember!). But Sophie appears to claim that game meat is healthy and the Mail omits to mention that the advice from NHS England is that;
It’s best to avoid eating game that has been shot with lead pellets while you’re pregnant, as it may contain higher levels of lead. Venison and other large game sold in supermarkets is usually farmed and contains no or very low levels of lead. If you’re not sure whether a product may contain lead shot, ask a retailer.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/foods-to-avoid-pregnant/
… so not completely healthy then! And that’s why Waitrose is moving to lead-free game next season and why they have proper warnings on their game meat if it is shot with lead ammunition.
Of course, being a propaganda programme for farming and shooting, Farming Today never mentions that the medical advice is that children and pregnant women should avoid eating just the type of game meat that they promoted on a public service broadcaster this morning.
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As has been said many times before ‘you should never let facts get in the way of a good story’!