Over the past 10 years the primary source of deer donations came by hunters during the various hunting seasons in Michigan, the last 5 years has seen an increase in deer donations from deer harvested during the summer from farmers to prevent crop damage and various deer culls around the state at local municipalities. In the spring of 2024, the DNR started a pilot program by placing refrigerated trailers at farms allowing the farmers to store their deer until the DNR moved the trailer weekly to a processor with subsequent donation to the foodbanks. This pilot has proved successful as the average number of deer donated per week per trailer is 30 +/- the DNR will increase the number of refrigerated trailers dispatched to farms in the summer and allowing some processors with freezer space issues to use the trailers in season as needed.
