Law allows Montana hunters to donate to processing fees for wild game for food banks

A law passed earlier this year in Montana makes it easier for hunters heading out into the wild this fall to help those in need. Generous hunters in the many states have long donated wild game to food banks, but the new law and the Hunters Against Hunger program of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks department, allows hunters to help pay for the processing fees of the meat, Brent French reports for the Billings Gazette. Hunters can not only donate the meat, but when they buy a license, they can donate as little as $1 to go to meat-processing fees. So far this fall the program has $12,000. (French photo)

Last year the the Food Bank Network distributed 7,000 pounds of venison to its 200 service providers, and the Billings Food Bank distributes about 15,000 to 20,000 pounds of meat a year, French writes. "In the past, though, the nonprofit groups would sometimes have to pay all or a portion of the wild game processing costs. None of the money will be distributed this season. Instead, the donations will collect in an account until next fall. By then, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will have a process worked out for how to fairly allocate the funds to the many food banks and senior centers around the state." (Read more)