A meat box scheme sourcing high quality, grass-fed and wild animals from across Sussex.
Order from the Sussex Grazed SHOP
Sussex Grazed connects food produced through habitat recovery and sustainable land management directly to local communities.
By supporting graziers and deer managers to access local markets, the project:
- Secures fair, sustainable prices for producers
- Strengthens local supply chains
- Helps people understand how food production can support nature recovery
Conservation
Supporting habitat recovery and biodiversity improvement through sustainable land management. By managing species-rich grasslands and other valuable Sussex landscapes, the project helps maintain diverse habitats and strengthen local ecosystems.
Community
Building fairer, stronger, local food systems. Connecting local people with food produced in their landscape, strengthening relationships between producers and communities across Sussex.
Quality
Championing flavour, minimising waste and food miles. Selling high-quality, locally produced meat reflects the landscape it comes from, while supporting sustainable farming practices. Our approach helps connect people more closely with local food and seasonal produce.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to sign-up for updates or contact us at sussexgrazed@bhfood.org.uk. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
What our customers say
“I love the idea of supporting local farmers and buying excellent quality meat that has been grown near where I live. I particularly like the idea of buying meat from animals used for conservation”
“I bought a lamb meat box for the first time last month… great mix of cuts that were provided in the box …. it has proved to be absolutely delicious. Fantastic meat. I am completely converted to this way of buying meat now.”
“We learned about venison as a local sustainable meat and the importance of buying local meat with regards to sustainability, reduced food miles and improved animal welfare.”
“I was truly delighted to be able to purchase sustainably sourced local produce from Sussex Grazed …. it perfectly lean and utterly delicious, it made for some great conversation around where we source our food”
Volunteer with us
We are recruiting volunteers to help manage the scheme. Please sign-up here if you want to receive updates on how you can support the project. Or feel free to contact us at sussexgrazed@bhfood.org.uk if you have questions.
Building on a legacy of Conservation and Community
Sussex Grazed was originally developed as part of the Changing Chalk Project, a partnership programme focused on restoring Sussex’s rare chalk grasslands and reconnecting people with this unique landscape. Through this work, Sussex Grazed was piloted, to link conservation grazing with local food, ensuring that meat produced through habitat restoration could be enjoyed by communities across the region.
*We have drawn inspiration from the Sheep Share Brighton and Hove initiative for this project.
Although the Changing Chalk Project has now come to an end, Sussex Grazed continues to build on its legacy. The project remains rooted in the same principles of conservation, community, and high-quality local produce, supporting graziers and deer managers, strengthening local supply chains, and helping people better understand the connection between food production and nature recovery.
Sussex Grazed works with graziers, farmers, and deer managers who actively manage land for habitat recovery across Sussex. Across species-rich grasslands and other conservation-managed landscapes, appropriate grazing helps maintain habitat diversity and prevent sites from becoming dominated by scrub and coarse vegetation. Different livestock graze in different ways, helping create varied habitats that support a wide range of plant and animal species, as explored in our blog, What is Conservation Grazing? Livestock on the Land.
This work relies on close relationships between farmers, land managers, and conservation organisations. Many of the grazing systems we support form part of wider mixed farming approaches, where livestock, soil health, and habitat management work together. By creating a local market for meat produced through this work, Sussex Grazed helps support the long-term viability of habitat recovery and sustainable land management across Sussex. You can read more about these partnerships in our blog, What is Conservation Grazing? Grazing Relationships.
Our resources
Throughout the project, we have worked to create resources for those producing food through conservation and sustainable land management who want to sell directly to their local community. We want the Sussex Grazed model to be replicable and accessible to others, which is why we created the Farming for Conservation: Farmer Resource Pack.
In collaboration with the British Deer Society, we have created a Deer Manager Resource Pack, for deer managers involved in landscape protection and restoration. It brings together key information required before selling venison directly, including legal requirements, regulations and practical guidance to support the establishment of new businesses or to expand existing ones.
