RESOURCES
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
The DNR manages the deer herd in the state. For questions about rules
and regulations, contact staff at the wildlife
office near you.
Lou Cornicelli, coordinator of the big game division, is a member of the
venison donation team and is working on funding for the program. If you,
or an organization you work with, would consider helping with the costs
of processing donated deer, contact him at: lou.cornicelli@dnr.state.mn.us
Minnesota
Department of Agriculture
MDA, Meat Inspection
Division, is in charge of licensing and making certain meat is processed
correctly. A fact
sheet has been developed for meat processors interested in being certified
for the program. Nicole Neeser is program manager for meat inspection
and part of the team working with the Venison Donation Policy; you can
contact her at:
nicole.neeser@state.mn.us
Cooking
and Handling Instructions for Venison
Venison is a dry meat and has specific requirements for storing and
cooking. A short, two-page, instruction sheet with recipes can be accessed
by clicking
here. Food shelf staff should distribute this
document to anyone receiving venison for the first time. Additional
information is provided in the factsheet
for foodshelves.
In addition, the University
of Minnesota Extension Service website has many more recipes and
cooking/handling tips.