Blog

Reading the COVID Assistance Tea Leaves
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It’s been a little over a week since producers and organizations that were excluded from the initial round of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program were able to file comments with USDA requesting that they be covered in the second round of assistance. NBA Assistant Director Jim Matheson and I have fielded numerous emails and phone …
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Turning on a Dime
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One aspect of bison that never ceases to amaze me is their ability to turn on a dime. A bison running full speed will plant a front hoof in the ground, spin, and run full speed in another direction. Mother Nature perfected that ability to equip them to escape threats when able, and to face …
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USDA Yardstick Can’t Measure Weight of COVID Impact on Bison
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Suppose you wanted to buy a pen of calves but needed to know the weights. “No problem,” the owner replies. “In fact, why don’t you weigh them yourself right now? Use this,” he adds, as he hands you a yardstick. Ludicrous, right? That’s not too far removed from the situation bison producers are facing as …
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What’s In Your Burger?
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Plant-based protein. It’s all the rage in the world of food these days.  News media business pages are filled with stories of plant-based protein startups gaining shelf space in grocery stores. Old-line meat companies are rolling out new lines of “plant-based” protein. A legion of exhibitors at the Natural Products Expo West show in Anaheim, …
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Earth Day: Enjoy a Glimpse; Appreciate the Big Picture
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On Saturday, I was fortunate to capture some video clips of a bison mom helping her newborn calf learn to cross a deep ravine as I was helping move the animals to a new pasture at the ranch where we keep our herd. I posted the clips on Facebook, mentioning how privileged I was to …
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