The NZ Game Animal Council and the Wild Game Recovery Trust have teamed up to support an increase in wild game meat being donated to foodbanks and families in need.
The initiative, Game Changer NZ, is led by the Wild Game Recovery Trust and is supported by the Game Animal Council, using their free voluntary online meat donation platform, Hunt and Share.
Game Changer NZ’s role is to coordinate the full donation process. It works with hunters, butchers and foodbanks, and raises financial donations to help cover the cost of processing donated wild game meat such as venison.
Hunt and Share provides the tools that support safe and traceable wild game meat donation. These include a guidebook for organisers of meat donation initiatives, an online knowledge check for hunters, a meat donation record database, and labelling tools so donated meat can be tracked from hill to table.
With one in three households experiencing food insecurity in the last year, access to high-quality protein can make a meaningful difference for those under pressure.
Founder and Chair of the Wild Game Recovery Trust, Wayne Langford, says Game Changer NZ aims to grow the volume of wild game meat being delivered to families in need.
“We work with hunters, butchers and foodbanks to organise donations, while also raising the funding to help cover processing costs.
“That means hunters can head out hunting and donate an animal knowing the processing cost is covered, and the meat will be appreciated and utilised.”
Mr Langford says Hunt and Share is an important part of providing confidence that donated meat has been handled, recorded and labelled properly.
“Hunters must complete a short knowledge check and log each animal they intend to donate through Hunt and Share, which provides full traceability from hill to plate.”
Game Animal Council CEO Corina Jordan says for hunters, wild game meat donation means they can give back by doing something they love. It encourages them to get out more which is great for wellbeing and connecting to the environment. They are also able to increase their harvest, which in turn increases their contribution to game animal management.
“Wild game meat is a huge asset to New Zealand. Recreationally harvested game meat can be donated, but it does not automatically come with the record keeping and traceability that apply in the commercial meat supply system.
“That is where Hunt and Share comes in. It provides a system that helps ensure the right steps have been taken around safety and traceability.
“Put simply, Game Changer NZ coordinates the full donation pathway while Hunt and Share provides traceability and confidence.”
Mr Langford says that for businesses and the public, covering the processing cost of a harvested wild deer is a practical way to support local foodbanks. For families in need, it means access to healthy, free-range protein that might otherwise be unaffordable.
“We know there are local meat donation initiatives across New Zealand, and many hunters have been quietly donating meat to their communities for years,” Mr Langford says.
“This initiative is not about replacing that work. It is about growing the movement by providing a simple, free and practical platform that helps people contribute when and where they can.
“Game Changer NZ and Hunt and Share together make it easier for more people to be part of the solution.”
Game Changer NZ currently supports 112 foodbanks nationwide, including 61 Salvation Army foodbanks.
Sonya Cameron, Food Security Manager at The Salvation Army noted “Meat is the number one request from whānau using our foodbanks, and also the most expensive item for us to provide. We are thrilled to be working with Game Changer NZ and Hunt and Share so that we can safely access more high-quality protein for whānau.”
Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager says the initiative shows how hunters can make a practical contribution to their communities while supporting responsible game management.
“New Zealand hunters have a strong tradition of putting food on the table, and this initiative makes it easier for that generosity to reach those who need it most. It is a smart, practical partnership that backs our local communities,” Mr Meager says.
“As Minister, these are the exact sorts of initiatives I back, celebrate, and want to see more of.”
Hunters, butchers, foodbanks, businesses and members of the public interested in being part of donating wild game meat through Game Changer NZ can go to gamechanger.wgrt.org.nz, and to access Game Animal Council’s Hunt and Share platform, go to nzgac.org.nz/hunt-and-share.