Truro’s Deer Cull will provide 12,000 meals for Nova Scotia Food Banks
Nova Scotia Proud post on Facebook Nov 12, 2026
Listed on this website under Social Media for Nov 12, 2026
“Nova Scotians struggling with rising food costs will benefit from a $30,000 provincial grant turning Truro’s annual deer cull into thousands of meals for local food banks.
“The Nova Scotia government is providing a one-time grant of $30,000 to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program, a partnership between hunters and Feed Nova Scotia. This initiative processes wild game from the Truro deer cull, distributing the locally-sourced meat to food banks across the province. Opportunities and Social Development Minister Susan Corkum-Greek highlighted how the program leverages the generosity of Nova Scotian hunters.
“Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton noted that beyond providing meat, the program also ensures deer hides go to Millbrook First Nation, upholding traditional practices. Truro Mayor Cathy Hinton emphasized the importance of providing protein to children and families, particularly in a town where 88 deer were harvested in the 2025 cull, highlighting a common-sense solution to an abundance of deer and a need for food.
“The 2026 hunt is expected to contribute approximately 1,200 kg of meat, which could translate into about 12,000 meals for Nova Scotians. What other common-sense solutions could help our communities address both local challenges and the rising cost of living?”
A few of the many Comments
Just from the first 50 or so from the 349 appearing after only 6 hours!
LD
I already spoke to the city planners when they wanted to plant a tree on my yard saying I wanted a fruit bearing tree. I told them they should be planting apple, pear and peach in front of houses and collecting fruit for food banks from the trees in the fall from an urban food forest. These trees can also be kept pruned so they don’t block everyone’s solar panels which the government pushed so hard for. There is no reason the city could not focus on planting edibles like aronia bushes, elderberry, blueberries, quince, service berries, Haskap, goose berries, etc or true nut trees and set up volunteer harvest parties to fill food banks. People can make jams and freeze things to have food through out winter.
DCM to LD
Great idea in theory ! But this has been done and had horrible results.
Cities generally avoid planting fruit trees along public streets and sidewalks due to maintenance costs, mess, and safety concerns.
Fruit trees require regular pruning, fertilizing, pest management, and harvesting. Municipalities often lack the specialized staff and budget for intensive care compared to hardy ornamental trees.
Fruit grown close to heavy traffic can absorb toxic vehicle exhaust particles and heavy metals through its permeable skin. Street soils are frequently compacted, salty, and polluted.
RH to LD
what does this, have to do with this post specifically?
NSFM comments: The post ends with “What other common-sense solutions could help our communities address both local challenges and the rising cost of living?”
RM to LD
good idea. Everyone should have them everywhere
GQ to LD
this is a fantastic idea and I believe all new developments should be planting edibles and focusing on permaculture in community spaces.
CA to LD
if we didn’t have a rampant deer population I might see this as a possibility. The deer are just going to eat the fruit and cause more issues. I have a cherry tree and my neighbor has an apple tree. Both are old and were here before we moved in. They attract more deer than they are worth.
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WD to LD
i moved out of truro in 2014. To a town with apple trees everywhere. People like to think everything you described. However in practice it costs more than it brings in. Most people dont eat them. It creates a huge mess and attracts animals into dangerous areas. I moved back to truro in 2024 an one of the reasons was to get away from the rotting smell and mess.
WD to LD
your hearts in the right place but I know exactly what happen as this has been tried before
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MN to LD
the government doesn’t want that, Walmart couldn’t sell us poison then
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MD to LD
As a vegetarian, I completely support this. It prevents animal suffering, prevents humans issues with overpopulated deer, and feeds people some very high quality food that they may otherwise not have access to.
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Mark MacDonald
Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 9:24 PM
Wish they would expand this to Bible Hill and Salmon River. I live in Greenfield and hear the coyotes running down deer in the woods a couple times a week. The deer in town have long figured out they have it easier there, no predators and easy food. Every generation they seem to get more tame and unafraid.
x
KG
Something really wrong with the math here… average doe 150lbs, average yield from each harvest 43% of weight, 88 animals times 150lbs x 43% divided by 2.2 = 2580 kgs
Where is the other half of the meat gone to?
JM
Maybe numbers should be looked at… how many deer were culled and how much actually made it to the food banks… what was the percentage that went to waste in the end?
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JD
Will there be a meat inspector to inspect the deer meat that are given out to people?Because, we’re not allowed to give out farm fresh eggs.
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KN
I grew up in Alaska, this was always done with moose hit by cars… (let the roadkill jokes commence!)
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MK
Give a farmer $30,000. Beef, Pork and Chicken dinners. Support Agriculture.
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DBF
Culling helps prevent disease. We have lots of white tails. Feed the hungry!!
V B-A
i think this is a great idea with the way food prices are going these days. Fewer people are hunting today , so that means there are more deer than usual. It is great to help out anyone that needs or can use it.
CB:
Fantastic 🦌 job !!
Other provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Quebec do this and have great benefits and success.
Many forms of protein are distributed and not only deer.
Newfoundland and Labrador: Operates Sharing the Harvest N.L. (and Hunters Sharing the Harvest), which distributes moose, caribou, rabbit, and local berries to food banks. Following a 2020 government rule change, food banks across the province can legally accept raw and government-processed wild game.
MV
The cull head count last year was 88. And this year? Just curious.
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Edited
Matthew Vaughan
Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 8:47 PM
Mayor Lennie White – Town of Westville,NS this is a great idea and Westville should get on board. Deer are a nuisance and have caused substantial property damage, especially to vehicles.
SP
This could easily get out of hand if not managed properly. Most of you People who think this is a great idea have never stepped into the Deer Woods or understand the habit that Deer need to live. The pressure on the Whitetail Deer has never been so high for them to survive. Expansion of Big Box Stores, Housing, Suburban and mismanagement of our Forest in clear cutting has take their homes away. Then they are faced with Predators like never before the Coyote population has exploded and are taking a big percentage of the fawns. Black Bear Population is at an all time high most Sow Bears are having 2,3 and sometimes 4 cubs they take a high percentage of fawns. Bob Cats are also a real problem for the fawn population. The Ticks are also starting to show that it’s now taking its toll on the Deer, Moose and Rabbits. The Winter of 2014/15 Heavy snow that Winter just about wiped out the Deer herd in a lot of zones. If your not familiar with the Cull that took place on the Cape Breton Moose I suggest you familiarize yourselves what happened there. The season is now closed and we are in a serious situation we may loose our Moose for good. When the Government, things it’s a good thing you better stop and ask why because anything the Government gets involved with goes completely to hell. The Deer are not the Problem, Government is they have put everyone of us closer and closer to the Food Banks and has put this Province 1.4 Billion Dollars in Debt. Be careful what you wish for and where the real problem lys
CVH
That will never feed thousands! Ever!
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PW
The province is an ecological disaster. In February 2026, the Nova Scotia government under Premier Tim Houston restructured the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), eliminating the standalone Wildlife Division and laying off seven non-unionized staff members.
Key Details of the Restructuring
• Elimination of the Wildlife Division: The standalone division was removed and replaced by “integrated resources planning” housed within a new Land Strategy and Planning Branch.
• Layoffs: Seven non-unionized management and specialized staff positions were terminated, including the director of wildlife, the manager of biodiversity, and the manager of ecosystems and habitats.
• Stated Intent: Deputy Minister Sandra McKenzie and the government stated the reorganization is a deliberate effort to align the department with economic development, speed up resource-based projects, and modernize operations.
MA
brings to mind the disaster created by the moose cull in the highlands a few years back, just can’t let nature run it’s course, they cut down the forests to leave animals looking for food and shelter and then decide it’s the animals that are the burden, society has gone backwards for many years!