Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard has commissioned new research that could change how food safety rules apply to deer taken near brodifacoum bait stations.

Under current rules, deer cannot be killed and supplied for food processing within two kilometres of a brodifacoum bait station, and the restriction remains for three years after poison is laid. Hoggard says those settings sideline large areas for commercial hunters for extended periods. He’s not proposing shortcuts on safety, but wants limits to be backed by current evidence and, if justified, moved away from a one-size-fits-all approach.

The work will be led by the Bioeconomy Science Institute with Lincoln University, drawing on expertise in deer behaviour, toxicology, statistical modelling and bait station design. Findings are due by November, after which officials will assess whether rule changes are warranted.

Hoggard also linked the review to maintaining trade assurances, saying robust science underpins confidence in exported meat products.

The study does not change current requirements. The two‑kilometre buffer and three‑year restriction remain in place unless and until new decisions are made.