A Question of Deer Meat Donated to Louisiana Shelters

From NRAblog.com

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) recently ordered the destruction of approximately 1,600 pounds of venison donated to the Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission. The meat, valued at roughly $8,000, was donated by the Louisiana Hunters for the Hungry program. Following instructions from inspectors, the venison was thrown in dumpsters and doused with bleach – making it inedible.

As word of this action spread, and outrage ensued, the Louisiana DHH release the following statement (in part) on their Facebook page:

… Although the meat was processed at a slaughterhouse (Bellevue) that is permitted by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture to prepare and commercially distribute meat obtained from approved farms, deer are not an approved meat source to be distributed commercially. And because hunters brought the deer to the slaughterhouse, there is no way to verify how the deer were killed, prepared or stored …

Since then, officials from the Louisiana Hunters for the Hungry program and a variety of state departments have been meeting with hopes of avoiding a repeat performance.

Bob Davis, Manager of NRA Hunter Services, has been working with local Hunters for the Hungry program for years.

"I was shocked – I would not has expected that from Louisiana."

As a volunteer for Hunters for the Hungry, Davis understands that more than 1,600 pounds of venison and 3,000 meals were lost that day. There was also a loss of time.

"You're talking about thousands and thousands of man hours. It's not just a hunter spending a day in the woods, there are volunteers who inspect the deer to ensure it's in proper condition, a butcher who volunteers his facility and time for processing and those who transport the meat to the charity.

"It's a simple waste of pure, lean protein."

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For more on NRA Hunter Services, visit the Hunter Services webpage at hservices.nra.org.

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PUBLISHING:

NRA Executive Director: Kyle Weaver

CONTRIBUTORS:

Lars Dalseide. E-mail him at ldalseide@nrahq.org.

Kyle Jillson. E-mail him at kjillson@nrahq.org.

Justin McDaniel E-mail him at jmcdaniel@nrahq.org.