I am a pastor in a smaller community with quite a few hunters in the congregation. We would like to trap/shoot hogs and grind them into fresh pork to hand out free of charge to the needy. I was told that this was illegal since they were "domestic" according to the state and did not go through a USDA approved plant. Can anyone shine some light on this, and if it is illegal is there a way around the red tape. Hogs are a unlimited source of food that could be a great blessing for those who do not have a lot. I know I eat them all the time. Thanks for your help.

Processed feral hog meat can be given away, not sold. No red tape involved.

I give away hog meat all the time to friends and the less fortunate. Never thought it to be illegal so i am interested in seeing the responses. Sounds like a great thing you are doing. Best of luck

Pretty sure Jesus didn't have a permit and USDA certification for his baskets of fish and bread. Giving away for free is legal and even if it wasn't, thatd just make me wanna give away even more. Keep on keepin on preacher man.

It isn't exactly as clear cut as expressed above.

When you say, "giving away to the needy" you have to be careful. Hogs are a regulated animal. When you hear claims that some big name hunter shot and killed hundreds of hogs and donated the meat to a food shelter, that is bogus and against the law. For public consumption (such as at a shelter for the needy) such meat must go through a proper livestock process, in this case a special feral hog process of inspection before and after death at specific facilities. For example, Hunters for the Hungry cannot accept hunter-killed feral hog meat donations to distribute like they can deer.

So if you are setting up some sort of community shelter/distribution program, you may not be legal. If you have a family member or friend that you want to give some meat to, that is alright.

https://articles.extension.org/pages/637...an-on-consuming

So I would say that if you are sharing meat with some friend members of your congregation, that sounds fine. If you are planning on distributing hunter-killed feral hog meat through the community, you won't be legal.

Spy is technically correct but i still say stick it to the man and kill those pigs.

Right, so now you know the legality aspect. If you choose to break the law in this manner, just accept that paying the fines when you get caught is just part of the cost of helping the needy.

As pappy say: the other wild game ... When we got turned down for doe permits, (not enough deer) in buck only county & every one complaining bout the hog problem.. it kept hog numbers down & over the years, it went ta 4 deer county... my posts aint worth do what i did, find public land, they can be a Blessing... With limited hunting regulations, & the 24-7-365 pressure from private land, just like Robin hood & Frier Tuck & his merry men in tights... i been wondering about the woods to long ...
Believer had a charity thing going on Helping others Best Wishes

huntsolo out...
Edit: just read DNS post,think that is what Believer was doing, check with him...
isn't that discrimination ? can donate deer not hogs?
Good info DNS Just make it an outing, permit is $48.00, we lived off a from $7.22 hour total income ta a tad over
$11.00 an hour income... couldn't afford the big buck leases...
edit: on info der Teufel

DNS is correct.

The reason deer are treated differently than hogs is because they have a vegetarian diet. Hogs, being omnivores, eat a lot more things that can cause them to carry diseases.