Pa.’s venison donation program adds 3rd Lehigh Valley processor amid growing demand

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s venison donation program is gearing up for what could be another record-breaking season.

“It wouldn't surprise me if this season ends up being our first 300,000-pound year,” Hunters Sharing the Harvest Executive Director Randy Ferguson said.

"Which is just amazing to all of us, since our goal for many, many years has been 100,000 pounds and we've been blowing that out of the water for about 10 years now."

For more than three decades, HSH has facilitated a venison donation program throughout the commonwealth, creating a network of deer processors and hunger relief agencies to get lean, nutritious protein to those who need it most.

While the program has expanded into the Lehigh Valley over the past few years, and is growing in popularity, officials said demand also has increased this year as federal programs and initiatives were canceled or paused.

“You can just kind of tell that the demand is definitely higher this year than it has been probably any other year that we've experienced — that's sort of the bad news,” Ferguson said.

“The good news is, at least from our standpoint, what hunters in Pennsylvania are doing to support this program — they're really stepping up, just like they've always done, to help their neighbors.

"And so, to me, that's extremely gratifying and important in a year like this.”

‘A perfect storm’

On average, a single deer could net 35 to 40 pounds of venison — totaling 150 to 160 servings of lean protein.

Mark Demko, Lehigh County coordinator for HSH, said he donated a deer last season.

“Food banks, food pantries will get so many donations and such a great level of support when it comes to canned goods, frozen goods and other products," Demko said.

"But they don't often, outside of the holiday season, have the opportunity to have meat donated. So this is a really good way to connect those who need it with a great source of protein.”

And the need this year has grown.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency abruptly canceled Pennsylvania’s $13 million contract with the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program.

Through the program, commonwealth farmers were paid to supply local food banks with fresh produce.

More recently, food pantries struggled to meet demand during the SNAP Benefits pause because of the 44-day federal government shutdown.

“You've got sort of a perfect storm that that transpired here over the last month, with that need already being high, and then with SNAP being paused, and some issues that the food banks have been having already all year long, with accessing some of the federal funds available to them,” Ferguson said.

“It's just made for a very extraordinary set of circumstances this fall.”

Already this year, he said, he’s received calls from both hunger relief agencies as well as individuals experiencing food insecurity, looking to connect with the program.

“More people are finding out about the program, and the donation of deer to the program continues to grow,” Demko said.

“Definitely would like to see more people become involved in the program. We can always use sponsors, supporters, more volunteers to help in the coordination of the program.

“And we live in an area here in the Lehigh Valley where the population in the two-county area is approximately 700,000 to 750,000 people — would like to see a couple more processors get involved, because there's definitely a need for this program, even here in our area.”

3rd Valley processor

This year, a third Valley processor was added — Cait's Quality Cuts in Bangor.

“They've been doing a really good job for us so far,” Ferguson said. “I think they've already seen quite a number of deer coming through.

“I don't know what the number is quite yet, but it seems to me, I'd heard from them earlier on in archery that they had already seen a few deer.

"So that's always good for the first year for a new processor, to see them getting their name out there and people hearing about the program.”

Cait's Quality Owner Caitlyn Swanson said she’s received donated deer since opening her shop three years ago, but she connected with HSH this year to get connected to hunger relief agencies.

“When I heard about the program, I figured this is a really good way to get that meat out there to people who really, truly need it,” she said.

“It's just a good way to give back to the community and help out where we can.”

There are two other participating processors in the Valley — Frable’s Deer Processing outside Slatington, and Hillside Smokehouse in Upper Mount Bethel Township.

The process is simple and free for hunters interested in donating their harvest.

After tagging and field-dressing the deer, they bring it to a participating processor, who takes all the usable venison and grinds it up into 1- or 2-pound packages, similar to ground beef at the grocery store.

From there, it’s distributed to local food pantries or food banks, where it lands in the hands of those most in need.

Sunday hunting, Ag Tag expansion

There has been a big change to this year’s two-week rifle season, which begins Saturday, Nov. 29 — the addition of Sunday hunting.

“Now, hunters have those extra days to hunt during any open hunting seasons this fall,” Ferguson said.

“So that's seen a number of more days for archery hunting, for rifle season, all of that stuff. Any one of the hunting seasons this fall has Sunday hunting available now, so that's going to be a big deal for us.”

Gov. Josh Shapiro in July signed House Bill 1431 into law, fully repealing the commonwealth’s Sunday hunting ban.

“The Pennsylvania Game Commission could not be more excited to celebrate this long-awaited moment,” state Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith said in an early July news release.

“This landmark law effectively will contribute to keeping hunters engaged and performing the valuable public service they provide in helping manage our wildlife populations and ensuring the future of wildlife conservation.

"Today is a win for wildlife. Today will forever be remembered.”

Changes could increase donations

A few weeks later, state Game Commission officials announced that beginning Sept. 14, and through the second Sunday in firearms deer season Dec. 7, all Sundays that fall within established hunting seasons will be included as part of those seasons and open to hunting.

Migratory game bird seasons are the lone exception to the new rule, officials said, as those seasons are set through federal frameworks.

Changes also were made this year to the commonwealth’s AG Tag program, which lets landowners enlist the hunters to remove deer causing damage on agricultural lands.

Previously, hunters were limited to four AG Tag permits to harvest antlerless deer for any particular property. Now, a hunter will not be capped at a set number.

“That program is now running continuously as well, from Aug. 1 through April 15,” Ferguson said. “So there's opportunities for farmers to be having deer harvested on their lands as well.”

Those two changes could potentially increase the volume of donations received this season, he said.

“Just anecdotally, from what I'm hearing from processors around the state so far this year, it sounds like they're seeing probably more deer coming through their shops and more deer being donated for HSH than they have in previous years,” he said.

“I have a feeling we're on the verge of another big record breaker this coming year when the dust settles.”

During the 2024-25 hunting seasons, HSH collected a record 283,789 pounds of venison donated from 7,855 deer harvested statewide.

Interested in supporting HSH but aren’t a hunter? HSH accepts monetary donations through its website, in addition to sponsorship opportunities.