Overview

No other mammal has a closer historical tie to the development of North America than its largest land animal, the bison, also commonly known as the buffalo. Once a prominent fixture on the vast plains of the United States and Canada, bison have survived over-harvesting and near extinction. Their numbers dipped as low as 1,000 head by 1900 but have since recovered and now total around 500,000 head throughout North America. Today, they can be found in all 50 states, in every Canadian province and in several countries overseas.
 
Nearly 95 percent of these bison were raised in private herds. In the United States, bison herds account for nearly 200,000 head on 4,500 farms and ranches (2007 Census of Agriculture). Canadian producers add an additional 250,000 head to the North American herd. The balance is part of a Native American herd, lives on public lands (for example, Yellowstone National Park with 4,000 wild, free-ranging bison) or resides in zoos and reserves. (For more information about Native American herds, which number close to 15,000 buffalo, see the InterTribal Bison Cooperative Web site.)  April 2009 ... Bison


Marketing

• Bison Centre, Bison Producers of Alberta - Information on bison and bison ranching in Canada and the United States. Contains articles, news, events, links, bison ranch listings, free classifieds, health, recipes, cooking tips and more.
• Bison Revival Fuels a Tourist Sensation, Market to Market, Iowa Public Television, February 2009 - Though small by historical standards, today’s herd of buffalo is making a comeback.
• Canadian Bison Association - Web site for bison producers as well as people interested in learning more about bison.
• Center for Bison Studies, Montana State, Bozeman - The primary mission of the Center is to serve as a regional center for information exchange and research on all aspects of the biology and management of the American bison.
• Monthly Bison Report (Carcass & Cuts), AMS, USDA.
• National Bison Association - Nonprofit association that promotes the preservation, production and marketing of bison. Association activities and services serve to better inform and educate members and the general public about bison.

Production

• Bison, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Ontario, Canada, 2007.
• Focus on Bison, Meat Preparation, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), USDA, 2003 - Safe storage, handling and preparing of bison.
• Bison Husbandry, Rutgers University, 1999.
  
• Bison Production, Livestock Production Guide, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), 2001 - Production guide covers regulations for bison production, bison meat inspection and processing, marketing, feeding, pastures and fencing, handling and transportation, and links to additional references.
• Bison, Livestock Slaughter Annual Summary, NASS, USDA, 2009.
• Commercial Bison Production: Economic Analysis and Budget Projections, North Dakota State University.
• Enterprise Budget: Bison Cow-Calf, University of Wyoming, 2001 - Estimates the costs and returns for a bison operation of 100 breeding cows.
• Food Safety of Farm-Raised Game, FSIS, USDA, 2006 - Venison, antelope, boar and other exotic species are now farm raised in the United States. These animals are under voluntary USDA inspection.
• Handbook of Bison Production, University of Alberta, Canada - This handbook outlines the aspects of producing bison in today's marketplace.  
• Bison 101 Online Training, National Bison Association - This association offers free online training to educate both potential and existing bison ranchers about bison production and risk management.
• Planning for Bison Grazing on Native Rangeland, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA, 2002.

Businesses/Case Studies

• 2000 Bison Research Report, North Dakota State University - The bison industry is growing rapidly and deserves legitimate research effort. Few universities have embraced bison with planned research conducted with dedicated resources.
• Bison co-op helping Native Americans develop production, marketing strategy; Rural Cooperatives magazine; USDA; 2008 - The Intertribal Bison Cooperative is a nonprofit tribal organization committed to restoring buffalo herds to Indian Nations.
• InterTribal Bison Cooperative - This organization now has 57 tribal members in 19 states. Between them, they oversee close to 15,000 buffalo.
• Bison/Buffalo, The New American Farmer, Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE), USDA - This program offers producer profiles that look at how specific farmers are exploring sustainability.
• Shepherd Farms Find Turning Grass into Buffalo Meat is Where the Real Money is, Stockman Grass Farmer, 2006 - Farmer discusses his 26 years of successful buffalo raising.
• Straight Arrow Bison Ranch: Nutritional Meat Raised on a Family Farm, Center for Applied Rural Innovation, University of Nebraska, 2002- A Nebraska couple raises 60 bison for fun and profit. This case study explores the challenges they've faced as they began their business venture.
• Tarbox Hollow: A Home on the Range, Center for Rural Affairs, 2002 - An alternative product --buffalo, alternative marketing and clear goals helped these Nebraska farmers come back to the home farm to take care of their parents, restore the prairie and build a profitable and growing agricultural enterprise.

Links checked April 2009.