Share the Harvest Expands to Provide More Venison to Missourians Facing Hunger

several plain white butcher paper packages stacked neatly inside a metal wire basket on a shelf in a community food bank refrigerator with frost on the metal ra

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Missouri's Share the Harvest Program Broadens Hunger Relief Efforts

With deer hunting season underway in Missouri, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and its partners are encouraging hunters to participate in the Share the Harvest (STH) program. This initiative invites deer hunters to donate venison, helping to feed thousands of Missourians facing food insecurity.

A Tradition of Giving: The History and Impact of STH

The Share the Harvest program, established in 1992, was among the first venison-donation initiatives in the United States. Started by Missouri hunters who sought to share their harvests with neighbors in need, STH has delivered more than 6 million pounds of venison since its inception. Administered by MDC, the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM), the Missouri Association of Meat Processors, and Feeding Missouri, the program involves hunters, meat processors, food banks, pantries, businesses, and other sponsors working together to support food security in the state.

Recent Achievements and Growing Need

In recent years, Share the Harvest has averaged about 5,000 deer donations annually, resulting in approximately 250,000 pounds of venison distributed to Missourians in need each year. In 2025, nearly 800,000 individuals in Missouri faced food insecurity, putting significant pressure on food banks and charitable programs throughout the region.

Jake Hindman, STH Expansion Coordinator at MDC, said, "Share the Harvest brings together Missouri’s hunting and conservation traditions with an opportunity to help our neighbors in need." Hindman emphasizes the program’s dual benefits: strengthening food security and supporting conservation efforts.

Plans for Program Expansion and Innovation

In response to increasing demand, the Share the Harvest program is expanding its scope. The initiative has set new goals—6,500 donated deer for the 2026 season and 10,000 deer by 2027. Efforts to make participation easier include:

Piloting refrigerated coolers at select sites for convenient venison drop-offs
Eliminating required hunter donation fees
Increasing reimbursements for meat processors

These changes are designed to attract more donors and build a stronger, more sustainable program.

How Missouri Hunters Can Donate

Deer hunting Missouri enthusiasts wishing to donate can take a whole field-dressed deer to an approved Share the Harvest processor. A simple form must be completed, and participating meat processors then prepare the venison for distribution via local food banks missouri and pantries. While the program covers processing costs, hunters may also make a voluntary donation. To find a processor or learn more, visit the MDC STH processor locator.

People seeking access to donated venison can contact their local food bank or pantry. Supporters can also help by encouraging others to take part or by making financial donations, either when purchasing hunting permits or via CFM’s Share the Harvest page.

Why Venison Donation Matters

Venison provides a lean, locally harvested protein source. By participating in missouri deer donation efforts, hunters help manage deer populations while supplying nutritious food to those in need. The program’s funding and sponsors cover all processing costs so that recipients receive safe, high-quality meat.

Ensuring Safety with Chronic Wasting Disease Precautions

To protect the health of families receiving donated venison, STH requires deer harvested within 10 miles of confirmed chronic wasting disease (CWD) detections to be tested before distribution. This precaution supports public health recommendations. Additionally, this year’s program now collects information on the county, not the exact site, where each deer was harvested.