Utah Legislature considers bill that would allow hunters to donate game meat to local food banks

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ST. GEORGEWhile accepted donations vary from one nonprofit to another, some of the largest food banks in Utah will already accept donations of commercially packaged and properly frozen meats – including beef, poultry and fish.

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However, philanthropic hunters may be surprised to find out that the state currently prohibits the donation of most wild game meat because of potential liability issues arising from improper storage or processing.

The Donation of Wild Game Meat bill, officially designated as HB 142 in the 2022 Utah Legislature, was introduced in this latest legislative session to establish conditions for well-meaning sportsmen to share their take with a qualifying nonprofit.

Rep. Joel Ferry, of Brigham City, said he first got the idea for the program from a good friend who regularly hunts in Wyoming. Utah’s neighboring state to the northeast instituted a program in 2020 called “Food From the Field,” encouraging hunters to share their take with cooperating processors that then turn over the meat to food banks.

“My friend came to me and said, ‘Hey, why don’t we do this in Utah?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know,’” Ferry said. “In the state of Utah you can give your wild game meat to a friend or a neighbor, but we don’t have a program like that in Utah. I think there’s a need that exists, I just wanted to make sure we did it in a way that our food banks and food pantries feel comfortable doing it.”

The bill defines terms and sets the conditions for acceptable donations, specifically requiring that wild game meat come from a healthy animal that is killed with its intestines intact then properly field-dressed and processed by a qualified butcher. 

Rep. Joel Ferry introduces H.B. 142 Donation of Wild Game Meat on the floor of the Utah House of Representatives, Salt Lake City, Utah, Jan. 31, 2022 | Photo courtesy of the Utah Legislature, St. George News

For the terms of the proposed legislation, wild game includes deer, elk, antelope, moose, bison, rabbits and birds. 

Meat obtained from a road-kill animal will not be accepted under the terms of the bill, and those receiving donated game meat in food pantries or as meals will be notified of its origin.

“There’s a significant need statewide for animal protein, and I think this can help move the needle and help people,” Ferry said. “It also provides an opportunity for someone like an empty nester that shoots an elk and gets a lot of meat. Rather than have it sit in the freezer for two or three years and get freezer burn, we might be able to take some good advantage of it.”

Regarding leftover meat in the freezer, and during the proceedings of the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, Rep. Rex Shipp, or Cedar City, asked Ferry if meat previously processed and safely stored under the conditions outlined in the bill would be eligible for donation. 

Rep. Keven Stratton said the bill would not work retroactively if passed, so any meat obtained or processed prior to the bill’s passage would not be eligible for donation.

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The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources contributed to the bill’s drafting by sharing input from hunters and providing an explanation of existing code, said Biologist Riley Peck. He said he feels that the legislation will help address a poorly-understood area in Utah code.

“Getting that food and that meat directly to the food banks has ultimately been one of the greatest challenges, and so this bill helps clean that up,” Peck said. “This bridges that gap from just donating it or giving it to a friend, neighbor or relative to actually putting it into the hands of those that most need it.”

Hunters or sportsmen that donate an animal carcass would be responsible for paying the cost of processing the meat, but the bill would establish a Wild Game Meat Donation Fund to pay meat processors if a donor ends up not paying. Peck said the division of wildlife would manage the fund and he expects it would be used only as a last resort.

 Ultimately, the bill specifically designates charitable nonprofits as the intended recipients for the donated meat. In addition, there is no monetary value applied to the donation, so hunters won’t be able to expect a tax break for donating, Ferry said.

After a unanimous recommendation from the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee, the bill returned to the floor of the House for a third reading. The House unanimously passed the amended bill and sent it to the Senate.

As of Feb. 2, the bill is awaiting consideration in the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment committee after an initial reading on the Senate floor.


Check out all of St. George News’ coverage of the 2022 Utah Legislature here.

For a complete list of contacts for Southern Utah representatives and senators, click here.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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