Jeff Thompson: Louisiana Health Department ‘Pulled the Trigger Too Quick’ on Destroying Donated Deer Meat

State lawmakers, hunters and other area residents have been up in arms since the state health department decided to destroy 1,400 pounds of deer meat donated to the Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission.  And several local groups have gotten together to come up with a solution.

Bossier City Representative Jeff Thompson tells KEEL News that as he understands it, the health department's issue was about food safety, and the process of how the deer were harvested.  Thompson is part of the group "Hunters for the Homeless," which donated the meat.  And he blames the department for venison, some of which he donated himself, going to "absolute waste."

"Unfortunately, it looks like somebody just pulled the trigger too quick, so to speak," Thompson says. "[Health department officials] really didn't check around to find out what options there were."

But he says that changes today.  He'll be part of an afternoon news conference to discuss what will be done to prevent anything like this from happening again -- and announce some good news about replacing the destroyed food.  That's being held at the Rescue Mission at 4 this afternoon.

You can listen to my complete interview with Thompson here: