CERVID LIVESTOCK FOUNDATION

PRESS RELEASE

VENISON COMPETITION

The Cervid Livestock Foundation (CLF), promoting research and education through the North American Deer Farmers Association (NADeFA), sponsored the first annual venison culinary competition. This event was held February 29, 2008 at the Ivy Tech Community College Campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana in conjunction with the NADeFA’s annual convention.

The competition, which was limited to six teams of two students each had three hours to plan and prepare two courses, one appetizer and one entrée, incorporating venison as the primary protein source in each course. Cash awards were given to the top teams on Friday evening at NADeFA’s conference.

“We were extremely pleased with the competition and the quality of students aspiring to be future chefs,” stated Laurie Prasnicki, Executive Director of the CLF. “We believe that future chefs should know the nutritional and dietary benefits of venison and by sponsoring this competition, have introduced these future culinary experts to the venison industry and a whole new healthy world of venison, an experience they will take with them when entering into the restaurant profession”.

The six teams were made up of students of the Ivy Tech Community Colleges from Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. The following is the name of the students and the competition results:

1^st place -Jason Crouch and Jason Stadt

2^nd place -E’Lisa McGill-Wilkes and Corey Tracey

3^rd place-Daren Frey and Max Neal

4^th place-Nick Carter and Brett Morse

5^th place-Michael Noonan and Janice Sandoval

6^th place-Jackie Henderson and Chris Jennings

The CLF gives special thanks to Chefs Alan Eyler of the Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne and Jeff Bricker of the Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis who organized the competition, the judges for the competition, the Exotic Wildlife Association and Broken Arrow Ranch from the state of Texas who provided the venison for the competition, and the following people who sponsored the cash awards for the various winning places:

1^st place - John Behrmann of Highbourne Deer Farms, Pennsylvania; 2^nd place - Richard Spanton of Golden Monarch Elk Farms, Wisconsin; 3^rd place Laurie Prasnicki of Maple Hills Farms, Wisconsin and Charly Seale of the Medera Ranch, Texas; 4^th place - Brian Cahill of Dream Chaser Farm, Pennsylvania; 5^th place – Dr. Sam Vainisi of Eaton Highland Farm, Wisconsin; 6^th place - Joel Espe of Hawk Hills Elk Farm, Wisconsin.

*The North American Deer Farmer’s Association is an association representing an industry that has an annual economic impact on this nation’s economy of $3 billion. NADeFA is a political voice for approximately 15,000 deer breeders, ranchers and farmers across the nation. They represent the deer industry by working closely with state and federal legislators and regulatory agencies to develop rules and regulations that govern the deer industry. NADeFA is dedicated to the promotion of deer farming and ranching as an agricultural pursuit and serves its members through its educational programs, publications and by providing leadership in setting and maintaining quality standards.