Representative Seeks Funding for Sportsmen Against Hunger

Justin Tomei • February 21, 2024

Yesterday, Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan) announced that he is seeking appropriations to support Sportsmen Against Hunger in the fiscal year 2025 budget. 

Cavitt said in a press release that Sportsmen Against Hunger (SAH) is an important deer management tool and that farmers are harvesting deer year-round.

“People harvest deer year-round. Whether it’s farmers with nuisance licenses or a surplus of deer during hunting season, there are always extra deer that need to be processed,” said Cavitt.  “MSAH gets the deer to processors and ensures all resulting venison gets to the dinner tables of people who need it.”

MSAH is a 501c3 non-profit contracted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to facilitate the Sportsmen Against Hunger program, a statutorily created program. MSAH was founded in 1991 and has distributed over 1.1 million pounds of food, providing hot meals to over 4.6 million Michiganders. 

MUCC was a founding board member of MSAH and continues to help support this mission. 

Shortly before the 2023 deer season, the DNR instituted new policies on meat donation, requiring testing for chronic wasting disease (CWD) and bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The new guidelines stressed the program, highlighting the need for some permanent solutions. 

The DNR could use the funding to acquire refrigerated trailers to ease storage needs for processors, increase payments to processors for enrolling in the program, and cover shipping costs for CWD and bTB testing. 

To secure the funding, the program needs a champion in the legislature, said MUCC Policy and Government Affairs Manager Justin Tomei. 

“The work that MSAH and the DNR do is invaluable both as a humanitarian effort and deer management tool,” Tomei said. “Sportsmen Against Hunger needs a champion in the legislature, and Rep. Cavitt has stepped up to bat. We hope to continue to broaden this support in a bipartisan fashion.”

Work on the fiscal year budget will conclude in June; stay tuned to MUCC for updates on this funding request and the budget.

To ensure our natural resources remain protected and managed thoughtfully and our outdoor heritage defended, join Michigan United Conservation Clubs today: http://bit.ly/JoinMUCC .       

 

 

Recent Posts

On the Ground: Brush Piles and Invasive Species at Denmark Township Mini State Game Area

By Olivia Triltsch • May 21, 2026
On Friday, May 15, 2026, high school students who are part of the Reese High Outdoors Club joined MUCC’s On the Ground Junior program and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at the Denmark Township Mini State Game Area. Students completed a wildlife habitat improvement project by clearing a grassland habitat of invasive woody growth maintained for pheasants. Using the cut vegetation from the area, students constructed several large brush piles throughout the site to benefit small mammals and other wildlife in the area. Maintaining open grassland habitat is important for supporting species that rely on early successional cover for cover or feeding. Due to suppression of natural disturbances, active management helps to control woody vegetation from gradually overtaking the areas and reducing habitat quality for species that rely on the grassland. The project area is near fields planted by the DNR to provide both habitat and food sources for wildlife, making these improvements part of a larger habitat management effort on the property. In total, students directly improved 10 acres of wildlife habitat through this project. Beyond the on-the-ground impact, the event also allowed students to try a hands-on conservation experience and the ability to contribute to habitat management and public land stewardship in Michigan. Projects like this continue to demonstrate the value of engaging the next generation in Michigan's outdoor heritage and wildlife conservation efforts.

On the Ground: Jack Pine Planting Day 2026

By Olivia Triltsch • May 7, 2026
On Saturday, May 2, 2026, a group of dedicated volunteers joined Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, Huron Pines, Saginaw Children’s Zoo, and MUCC's OTG program in planting approximately 4,800 jack pine saplings within the Grayling Forest Management Unit in Crawford County. Jack pines are a critical nesting habitat feature for the once-threatened Kirtland’s warbler. In total, volunteers directly impacted about 7 acres of land were prepared by the Michigan DNR for this planting to allow volunteers to maximize their efforts across the land. This is one of our annual events that is perfect for helpers of all ages and interests.

MUCC Announces Dissolution After Nearly 90 Years of Conservation Advocacy

May 4, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) announces its decision to dissolve after nearly 90 years of conservation advocacy, citing ongoing financial challenges and outlining next steps in an orderly wind-down process.
More Posts