Truro deer cull to provide locally-sourced meat for food banks thanks to $30K grant

The Nova Scotia government has granted $30,000 to help fund a program called Hunters Helping the Hungry. This initiative aims to donate locally-sourced meat from Truro's annual deer cull to food banks, while also reducing waste. Opportunities and Social Development Minister Susan Corkum-Greek explained that this program leverages the generosity of hunters who are willing to share their harvest with their neighbors in need.

The Hunters Helping the Hungry program has been running for over 20 years, donating wild game to food banks. Under this new partnership with Truro, the meat from the annual cull will be processed through a licensed meat processor and distributed to food banks throughout the province. The province’s grant will cover the processing costs.

Hunters can register their wild game, then contact a participating processor to decide how much to donate. Truro’s cull is expected to yield approximately 1,200 kg of meat, which will translate into around 12,000 meals.

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton highlighted that the department has been monitoring the deer cull in Truro for the past five years. He emphasized that Hunters Helping the Hungry ensures that not only does the meat not go to waste, but the animals' hides also go to Millbrook First Nation.

Truro Mayor Cathy Hinton expressed her satisfaction with the town's role in feeding the province. She noted that many children go to bed hungry and that having protein to eat at school can make a significant difference in their lives. The town’s controlled urban deer hunt, which runs until mid-December, was approved by town council in 2021 to manage the growing deer population.

Hinton joked that Truro has an abundance of deer, jokingly suggesting residents receive two for free when purchasing a home. However, half of the town loves the deer, while the other half finds them a nuisance, creating a delicate balance. The town reported that 88 deer were harvested in the 2025 cull.