What We Know: A new program in Marshfield is giving deer hunters a chance to help feed local families, while giving students some valuable hands-on experience.
What It Means: Marshfield R-1 Schools is teaming up with the Missouri Department of Conservation, Share the Harvest and Zimmerman Meats to turn donated deer into venison snack sticks for students in the district’s weekend backpack food program.
Superintendent Garrett Lowder says the project has been in the works for more than six months and offers a new approach to helping students facing food insecurity.
Warren Rose, a regional education supervisor with the Conservation Department, came up with the idea of putting Missouri’s growing deer population to good use by helping families in need.
Fellow conservation educator Marty Marsh says it’s the first program of its kind in Missouri, and possibly one of the first in the country. He says students will also gain real-world experience in meat processing.
Jon Cartwright with Zimmerman Meats says the company will provide refrigerated storage and process the donated deer into shelf-stable snack sticks.
The program has even caught the attention of Governor Mike Kehoe, according to Lowder.
Hunters can drop off field-dressed, properly tagged deer at Marshfield High School on December 5th and 6th, from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day. Donations are free, and hunters from outside Webster County are welcome.
The district will also offer a free public deer-processing demonstration on December 9th, from 6 to 8 p.m.
What’s Next: Conservation officials hope the Marshfield program can eventually serve as a model for other Missouri school districts.
(Photo provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation)