Making health risks of game meat transparent

The sale of game meat from recreational hunting in the canton (………) should only be permitted under clear health and declaration requirements, so that consumers can make informed decisions about risks such as lead contamination and pathogen danger.

1. Motion

The cantonal government is instructed to submit to the cantonal parliament a draft amendment to the Health Act (………) and relevant ordinances on food law and hunting (…………) to introduce specific regulations for the marketing of game meat from recreational hunting in the canton (………). The legislative revision must in particular ensure that:

that game meat from recreational hunting which is sold to consumers or used in gastronomy is subject to special cantonal declaration and information obligations.
that in particular a declaration obligation regarding the type of ammunition used is introduced, namely:
- clear labeling of whether the animal was killed with lead-containing or lead-free ammunition
- labeling obligation both for direct sales at markets and farm shops as well as in butcher shops and restaurants.
that binding minimum requirements for hygiene, cooling, transport and processing are established for game meat from recreational hunting, which go beyond general recommendations and can be monitored by the canton.
that additional requirements apply to game meat marketed as products affecting particularly vulnerable groups, for example:
- explicit warnings for pregnant women, children and persons with certain pre-existing conditions
- where applicable, maximum values for lead contamination or other relevant contaminants.
that the canton fulfills an information obligation to the population by:
- regularly informing about risks of lead fragments and disease-relevant pathogens in game meat
- publishing recommendations for safe handling and consumption of game meat.
that the government council establishes monitoring within whose framework game meat samples are systematically examined for lead contamination and relevant pathogens and the results are published in an appropriate form.
that the government council explains in its message:
- to what extent game meat from recreational hunting is marketed in the canton
- what risks exist today and how they can be reduced with the new regulations
- what organizational and financial impacts can be expected for cantonal administration, control authorities, trade and gastronomy.

The government council considers in its proposal the coordination with federal law in the area of food legislation as well as coordination with neighboring cantons.

2. Brief justification

Game meat is often promoted as a particularly healthy natural product. In practice, a large portion of game meat comes from recreational hunting, where animals are shot with rifles. This causes bullet fragments and other contaminants to enter the animal's body. Around the bullet channel, fine metal fragments are often found that are barely visible to the naked eye, but can end up on consumers' plates in processed meat.

Particularly with lead-containing hunting ammunition, there is a risk that game meat shows significantly elevated lead concentrations. Lead is harmful to human health even in small doses and can impair the nervous system, blood formation and children's development. Even during processing, storage and preparation of game meat, hygiene errors can lead to increased risk from germs and parasites.

Consumers have a right to transparent information about the origin and specific risks of game meat. Today it is usually not apparent to them whether an animal was killed with lead ammunition, under what conditions it was processed and what controls took place. The responsibility is tacitly shifted to the customers.

The canton (………) has the possibility within its competencies in food and hunting law to introduce additional declaration obligations, warnings and controls. The proposed motion does not aim for a ban on game meat, but for honest, health-based regulation. It strengthens consumer protection, creates clear rules for hunting and gastronomy and enables data-based monitoring of actual contamination.

Those who shoot animals with live ammunition should not be allowed to advertise to the public with sanitized nature images. Honest declaration and clear warnings are the minimum respect for health and animal welfare.

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