Nixon donates deer to Share the Harvest, thanks others who did so

On Monday, Gov. Jay Nixon donated a deer to Missouri's Share the Harvest program, a public-private partnership that provides meat to needy families across Missouri. The Governor shot the doe late yesterday afternoon while hunting in Pulaski County.

After shooting the deer, Gov. Nixon took it to Steve-n-Sons Custom Meat Processing in Newburg, which is one of 125 approved processors for Missouri's Share the Harvest program. Founded in 1992, Share the Harvest encourages hunters to donate their deer to local food banks, homeless shelters and feeding centers.

"Hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation are important Missouri traditions, and vital parts of our cherished way of life," Gov. Nixon said. "Share the Harvest is a wonderful way for Missourians to continue that tradition, by providing fresh, nutritious meat for their neighbors in need. I thank all the hunters across Missouri who also contributed their venison to Share the Harvest. This program really makes a difference for the people of the Show-Me State."

Under the program, participating hunters simply take their deer to an approved processor and indicate they would like to donate venison, ranging from a few pounds to an entire deer. The Conservation Federation of Missouri, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation, administers the program. For each full deer contributed, the Conservation Federation reimburses participating processors for part of the cost of butchering and storing the venison.

"Hunters have always been the ones who feed our families and provide for our communities," said Dave Murphy, president of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. "By participating in Share the Harvest, Missouri hunters keep that legacy alive. I appreciate all the sportsmen, processors, sponsors and local Conservation Agents who help us make Share the Harvest such a success, and we especially thank Gov. Nixon for his leadership and support. We look forward to continuing to work with the Governor to make sure Share the Harvest is even more successful in the years to come." Earlier this month, the Governor announced an initiative to significantly expand Share the Harvest. Beginning in 2007, the Conservation Federation was forced to cap the number of deer individual processors could accept because of limited financial constraints. Gov. Nixon's administration has awarded $200,000 in Neighborhood Assistance Program economic incentives to the Conservation Federation to help boost their fundraising from private contributors.

Because of these additional resources, Conservation Federation officials project that they will be able to generate sufficient private contributions to expand the number of Share the Harvest processors from 125 last season to 135 over the next three years; boost the number of deer processed from 4,729 to 8,169; and increase the pounds of venison distributed from 265,138 to 457,464.

A complete list of participating meat processors is available on the Missouri state Web site. Missourians can simply point their browsers to www.MO.gov and search for "Share the Harvest."