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Outlook
Future of the Buffalo Business
By Dave Carter, Executive Director
The American bison today faces a bright future, thanks in large part to private ranchers, public herd managers, tribal leaders, conservationists and consumers.
Most of the resurgence in the bison population has occurred over the past 25 years, as the public discovered the great taste of healthy, wholesome bison meat. Today, in fact, the National Bison Association is actively recruiting new participants to get into bison ranching to help continue building the herds to match the continued consumer demand.
Consider these important facts:
1. Nearly 54,000 bison were processed under USDA inspection in 2009. This level is more than double the number of animals processed under federal inspection in 2002.
2. Consumer demand for bison meat grew 10% in 2009…the fifth straight year of double-digit growth for bison meat in the marketplace.
3. More than 4,400 ranchers now raise bison in the United States.
4. Bison are raised in every state of the U.S., including herds in Hawaii and Long Island, NY.
5. The bison industry includes ranchers who offer both grass-finished and grain-finished animals…something for every consumer taste.
6. Bison meat is now found in nearly all natural food stores, and in a growing number of conventional retail and restaurant outlets.
The outlook for the American bison industry is extremely bright. The increasing demand for buffalo meat products is restoring profitability for ranchers.
This is an excellent time to consider entering the buffalo/bison business. The National Bison Association offers a variety of services designed to assist new producers getting started. A great place to start is to enroll in Bison 101, an on-line tutorial designed to introduce newcomers into the benefits of rising—and marketing—American bison.
Another great way to get started in the bison business is by joining the National Bison Association. Active and Life members will receive the First Edition of the Bison Producers' Handbook, our single best selling product, free of charge, a $40 value.
As a member of the National Bison Association, we can also connect potential producers with a bison mentor in their region. These industry veterans are always ready and welcome newcomers into the community of bison producers.
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