Saturday, December 5 is Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry Day in Ohio

It is free for hunters to donate a deer; no processing cost for the hunter

COLUMBUS, OH – With the opening day of Ohio's deer-gun season on November 30, hunters are reminded that donating a deer is free at meat processors participating in the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) venison donation program.

Participating meat processors can be found by visiting the FHFH page at www.fhfh.org.

Although venison donations are accepted any day during the deer hunting season, September 26 – February 7, 2010, Saturday, December 5 has been designated as FHFH Day. Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Chief Dave Graham challenges all deer hunters to make this year special for Ohio's hungry. Last year, hunters showed they cared by donating nearly 220,000 meals to Ohioans in need.

"I personally challenge Ohio's hunters to double that number this year and to help us all to remember to make the donations. I'm going to label Saturday, December 5, as Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry Day," said Chief Graham. "I will try to take a doe that day and I'll donate it to the FHFH program."

The FHFH Web site also allows people to donate cash that will supplement the funds being raised to help pay for processing the meat.

Over the last year, FHFH has more than doubled the number of chapters from 12 to 27, with the need for more. Anyone interested in becoming a local program coordinator or a participating meat processor should visit the "Local FHFH" page at www.fhfh.org. The Web page includes a current list of coordinators, program names, and the counties that they serve.

A $100,000 subsidy grant has been awarded to FHFH to help pay the processing fee on donated venison. The grant money is to be matched with funds generated or collected by FHFH. The Division is again subsidizing this year's FHFH operation as an additional deer management tool, helping wildlife managers encourage hunters to kill more does.