Feral Hogs Now Being Accepted by Hunters for the Hungry
Hunters for the Hungry Louisiana is now accepting hog donations to their program to help feed those in need.
Through the "Freshly Harvested Game Program," deer have been approved to be processed and delivered to one of Louisiana's five food banks and their affiliate kitchens and shelters. Now, due to the current need to control the feral hog population in our state, hogs have been added to the program and are accepted year-round.
How do I donate feral hogs to the program?
There are partner processors that have signed up with Hunters for the Hungry throughout the state. If hunters want to donate their recently harvested feral hogs, they are encouraged to visit the Hunters For The Hungry Louisiana (H4H) website to find a conveniently located partner processor to deliver their bounty.
There is no cost to the hunter as H4H will pay the processing fee. As long as the H4H partner processor is called ahead of time, they will accept the hog, process it, and have it picked up by a local food bank or agency within that community.
How bad is the feral hog problem in Louisiana?
The Louisiana State University AgCenter says that feral hogs cause $76 million in agricultural damage in Louisiana annually. The overpopulation of feral hogs is an issue statewide due to the impact the species has on our natural resources.
H2H is hoping that Louisiana's sportsmen can play a pivotal part in helping agriculture and wildlife by controlling the population, all while helping feed the hungry.
“Adding hogs to the Freshly Harvested Game Program has been a major priority, due to the frustrations they give farmers, land owners, and hunters,” says Julie Grunewald, executive director of H4H. “We look forward to the impact this will have on our ability to provide more protein for the hungry, especially since we’re not bound to a season.”
Just some of the good that Hunters for the Hungry does each year in our state.
In the 2021/2022 season, H4H collected the following across the state of Louisiana to provide for five food banks in the state with the support of volunteers, churches, community betterment organizations, and donors:
- Over 49,000 pounds of protein
- Resulting in over 196,000 meals
In addition to the aforementioned "Freshly Harvested Game Program," H4H hosts "Clean Out Your Freezer Day" which allows hunters to donate any of their processed game.
To learn more about Hunters for the Hungry and any of the programs mentioned here, visit www.h4hla.org.