Current Status
Expanding Horizons for Bison
By Dave Carter, Executive Director, National Bison Association
2010: A Year of Opportunity for Bison
The U.S. bison business ended 2009 in its healthiest financial position in more than a decade. The increasing demand for deliciously healthy bison meat is providing private bison ranchers with an opportunity to connect with new customers across the country.
Despite problems elsewhere in the U.S. economy, consumer demand for bison meat remained extremely strong. Meat sales continued to increase in 2009, and the prices ranchers received from processors remained at all-time highs.
It’s a remarkable comeback for a species that teetered on the brink of extinction little more than a century ago. The decimation of the bison herds in the late 1800’s is a bleak chapter in American history. Herds that numbered more than 30 million when the first European explorers set foot on the American continent were nearly wiped out by the 1880’s. At the turn of the 20th century, fewer than 1,000 bison remained in existence.
Throughout much of the 20th century, bison began to regain a foothold, primarily on public lands scattered throughout the western United States. By 1960, the National Geographic Society estimated that 20,000 bison were alive in the U.S.
The bison population began to increase more rapidly as private ranchers entered the field of bison production. Consumers are our partners in restoring bison herds across North America. Increasing demand for quality bison meat and related products is sending a strong signal to ranchers across the country to increase the size of their herds.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent Census of Agriculture, conducted in 2007, pegs the U.S. bison on private lands at 200,000 animals. With animals on public lands factored in, the actual size of the U.S. herd is now estimated at about 220,000 bison in the United States.
Still, bison remains a unique niche within the U.S. livestock sector. And that’s just fine with us. To put things in perspective, we in the bison industry are proud that nearly 54,000 bison were processed under USDA inspection in 2009, with an additional 20,000 processed under state inspection. By comparison, the U.S. beef industry processes roughly 125,000 cattle on an average day.
We in the bison industry do not strive to make our meat a mainstream commodity. Instead, we aim to continue restoring bison herds across the American continent by connecting with consumers who value the natural qualities of this native species. In particular:
- Bison is a natural part of a healthy diet. Bison is low in fat, high in protein and iron, and has a great cholesterol profile and is recommended by the American Heart Association.
- Bison is a natural, sustainable meat. Federal regulations prohibit the use of artificial growth hormones in bison, and our industry protocols prohibit the use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics (that is, antibiotics used only to increase growth rates).
- Bison are a natural part of the North American ecosystem, so bison ranching is beneficial to the natural environment.
- Bison tastes great. Chefs and everyday cooks across the country are discovering that bison has a great flavor. Bison meat is slightly sweeter than beef, and is tender and juicy. And, there’s no special secret to cooking bison…just remember that it will likely cook slightly quicker than a comparable cut of beef.
Now that consumers are putting bison on their menus, the National Bison Association is working to make sure that future production is keeping pace with demand. Last year, we began to promote expansion of the bison business through our on-line Bison 101 tutorial program, our Junior Judging program at the National Western Stock Show, and educational booth at the National FFA conference, and co-sponsorship of the Bison Advantage-Buffalo Gold Workshop in Colorado.
We are reaching out to college students and other young people with an invitation to get involved in bison. We have developed information about the bison business for agricultural lenders. And, we are working with existing producers to serve as mentors for new entrants into the industry.
Now we have introduced our newest resource for anyone involved in the bison business—newcomers and veterans alike. The all-new Bison Producers’ Handbook represents a groundbreaking collaborative effort of more than 30 experienced producers from the United States and Canada. These experts have shared their knowledge in an informative, and easy to understand manner.
In all of these materials, we are asking producers to consider the “Bison Advantage”
1. No artificial shelter (barns, etc.) needed. Bison prefer to be outside, year round, despite the weather.
2. Efficient feed utilization, making them economical foragers which do well on most grasses in the United States.
3. Long productive lives.
4. Primary requirements: Fresh water and adequate nutrition.
5. Calving rarely requires human intervention. Bison by and large calve on their own.6. Superior hardiness results in disease resistance, lower input costs, fewer veterinarian visits.
7. Bison thrive in most North American landscapes with no ill effects.
8. The bison industry enjoys a free enterprise market without excessive intervention. 9. Bison demand has consistently grown in double digits for the past five years.
10. Bison are raised in a humane, hands off approach, just what today’s consumers are looking for in their food products.
In short 2010 is a great time to be a part of the bison business, where producers, marketers, customers, chefs, nutritionists and environmentalists all agree: America’s original red meat is good for our health, good for our environment, and absolutely delicious.
If you are interested in becoming part of the emerging, exciting bison business, please contact the NBA at info@bisoncentral.com and we'll get you started.
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