Seven dollars may not seem like a lot of money these days, but it can go a long way to feeding those in need, thanks to the Share the Harvest Program.

As hunters take to the woods this fall, they will be doing their part to help manage the deer herd. The program for Grundy county allows 50 deer to be processsed, free of charge to the hunter, by taking deer to J and M Processing, east of Jamesport.

The statewide Share the Harvest Program is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation and is a cooperative effort between hunters, meat processors and local charitable organizations. It provides food to the hungry through deer meat donated by hunters. Hunters can choose to give part or all of any deer they take. They bring their deer to an approved meat processor to process the venison, usually into ground meat, where it is then packaged for distribution.

In the past, hunters have had to pay part of the processing costs for deer they donate to Share the Harvest. Whole deer donated to approved processors will be processed completely free of charge to the hunter.

Share the Harvest can reimburse approved processors only part of the processing fee for each whole deer given to the program.