Share the Harvest allows Missouri hunters to help neighbors facing hunger

SIKESTON – Once again this year, Missouri’s Share the Harvest program will allow deer hunters to donate venison to families and individuals facing hunger in their communities.

“Protein is one of our most-requested items, but it is also one of the most expensive and difficult to source,” said Joey Keys, chief executive officer of Southeast Missouri Food Bank. “The Share the Harvest program not only helps fill this critical need but also allows hunters to give back to their communities while preventing food waste.”

Administered by the Conservation Federation of Missouri in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation, Share the Harvest covers the cost of processing donated meat.

Hunters wishing to participate simply need to take their harvested deer to an approved meat processor and indicate how much venison they wish to donate. (Note: Hunters in the CWD Management Zone must have their deer tested for Chronic Wasting Disease. For more information, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/share-harvest.)

In SEMO Food Bank’s service area, the approved meat processors are: Elderland Meats in Zalma, Ole Bandit LLC in Wappapello, Walker’s Meat Processing in Fredericktown, Stonie’s Sausage Shop in Perryville, Oberle Meats in Ste. Genevieve, and Piedmont Processing in Piedmont.

Once a deer has been donated and processed, the meat will be distributed to one of the food bank’s partner agencies to be distributed to families and individuals facing hunger. In 2023, 2,675 pounds were donated to SEMO Food Bank through Share the Harvest.

Southeast Missouri Food Bank serves 80,000 individuals each month through a network of 140 partner agencies and direct service programs.

The food bank’s 16-county service area has some of the highest rates of hunger in the state, where one in six neighbors and one in five children are food insecure.