A charitable meat donation program allows hunters to feed the hungry
In 1992, hunters in Missouri began a program to share the deer they harvested with those less fortunate. From that beginning developed a statewide system run by the Conservation Department (MDC) and the Conservation Federation of Missouri called Share The Harvest, a program that provides an easy way for hunters to donate venison to Missourians in need of red meat.
Share The Harvest is a WIN WIN WIN program. Hunters win by doing their part to help people in need, cooperating processing plants win by getting positive feedback for their involvement and donations of locker space, and participating organizations win by having a ready-made service project for a good cause. Plus, the Department of Conservation has yet another tool to use in the management of Missouri’s valuable deer resource.
Processing fees are covered entirely or in part by numerous local sponsors, along with statewide sponsors that include: MDC, Shelter Insurance, Bass Pro Shops, Gateway Chapter Safari Club International, Missouri Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation, Midway USA Inc., and Missouri Food Banks Association.
Missouri’s Share the Harvest program helps deer hunters donate surplus venison to the needy. This program is administered by the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
If you wish to donate a deer that was harvested in a county within the CWD Management Zone, the deer must be tested for CWD, and it can only be donated to an approved processor that is participating in the Share the Harvest CWD-Testing Program.
Notice:
If you want to donate a deer harvested in Adair, Barry, Cedar, Chariton, Christian, Clark, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Hickory, Howell, Jefferson, Knox, Linn, Macon, Mercer, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Polk, Putnam, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Sullivan, Taney, Warren, or Washington counties, the deer must be tested for CWD, and it can only be donated to an approved processor participating in the Share the Harvest CWD-Testing Program.
