I’m deeply immersed in public policy but do my best to steer clear of politics. After all, the National Bison Association has cultivated strong personal relationships during the past two decades with leaders on both sides of the political aisle. Bison is our National Mammal because Republicans and Democrats in Congress worked together over a …
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The agricultural community has long been concerned about the lack of understanding or concern from their city cousins. A common refrain among agricultural producers and others in Rural America is that “city people just don’t care about us.” The National Bison Association’s recent Junior Judging competition at the National Western Stock Show provided some refreshing …
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Ever have one on those moments when you read an article that makes you think: “What the ******* are they talking about????” Yeah, I had one of those moments this week. The article, published in a national political news website, was entitled FDA Doubles Down on Failed Biotech Regulation. There were a number of items …
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It takes quite a bit to shock me these days, but a recent quote by the CEO of one of the world’s largest meat producing and processing companies set me back on my heels. “If we can grow the meat without the animal, why wouldn’t we?,” this CEO said in a recent interview with Bloomberg …
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Some three decades ago, the small cluster of bison ranchers—or “buffalo ranchers” as many called themselves—sprinkled around the United States and Canada were privy to one of the best-kept secrets in the American food marketplace. That secret: The animals under their care produced an absolutely delicious, healthy meat. They were convinced that, once this secret …
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The National Bison Association needs your help in correcting the existing pet food labeling loopholes that allows companies to deceive their customers into believing that the water buffalo in their products is actually North American bison. The growing demand for bison ingredients in pet products is adding important value to the carcass price paid to …
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In today’s hyper-polarized world, complex issues often get lumped into simple, black-and-white perspectives. It’s either good, or it’s bad, with nothing in-between. So it is with the finishing protocols used for bison. In recent years, intense debate has emerged over livestock finishing methods. Most of that debate has centered on cattle, but it’s starting to …
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If red and green are the traditional colors of Christmastime, it certainly looks like the holiday season across much of bison country this month. At the ranch where our herd grazes in eastern Colorado, and on farms and ranches across the country, brand new red-calves are bounding across rapidly greening grasslands. It’s a season of …
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(Photo by Jim Beauprez) The newest trend in the food marketplace these days is “plant-based protein”. Among the thousands of exhibitors at the recent Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA were a crowded number of booths touting plant based proteins, and—in many cases—“plant-based meat.” Even traditional meat companies like Tyson are investing heavily in …
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If you want to learn about emerging trends in the world of food, Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim is the place to be each March. Expo West, as it is known, began 37 years ago, when a handful of natural food growers, manufacturers and stores decided to hold an annual trade show for their …
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