National Bison Association Code Of Ethics

Members Shall:

  1. Continually strive toward the preservation, promotion, and marketing of bison and the bison industry.
  2. Advance the bison industry through improving our knowledge and skill, while encouraging research and the exchange of information and experiences.
  3. Keep informed on matters affecting the bison industry in our community, state, nation, and internationally so that we may be able to contribute responsibly to public thinking and policy on such matters.
  4. Pursue professional activities with honesty and fairness while avoiding and condemning any practice that might bring discredit to our industry.
  5. Conduct business in a professional manner with accurate, current, and factual information so as to educate and inform.
  6. Respect and help conserve our natural and cultural heritage while striving to improve the environment and the quality of life within it.
  7. Abide by all laws of any jurisdiction within which they carry on activities as bison producers.
  8. Not use growth hormones in bison.
  9. Not use antibiotics in bison on a subtherapeutic (non-therapeutic) basis.
  10. Never engage in deliberate crossbreeding of bison with another species.
  11. Not knowingly make false statements or fail to disclose a material fact requested in connection with marketing, advertising, and packaging.
  12. Accurately label product and shall not adulterate product.
  13. Observe the Bylaws of the Association and give freely of ourselves for the advancement of the Associations objectives.
  14. Provide adequate food, handling facilities and healthcare to ensure the well-being of animals.
  15. Not use animal cloning technology in any manner for the production of bison or bison meat products.
  16. Not practice in-vitro fertilization or other artificial reproduction practices for any purpose other than scientific research.
  17. Not deliver any animal into the custody of a person, who in the opinion of the member, does not have the facilities or ability to provide for the animals’ needs.
  18. Give an honest description as to the age, health records, and genetic background, to the best of their knowledge, of any animals they offer for sale.
  19. Take precautions, as necessary, to prevent the spread of parasites or disease and treat sick or injured animals immediately to avoid undue suffering and, if untreatable, humanely dispatch animals as soon as possible.
  20. Respect established private and public property rights and boundaries by responsibly keeping their bison on lands that they own, manage, lease, or for which they have other formal land use agreements. Stray animal occurrences should be infrequent and solved in a safe and timely manner to preserve harmony within the local community and to foster the continued widespread public acceptance of bison reintroduction and production while ensuring the proper care and protection of the bison themselves.
  21. Acknowledge the Association reserves the right to deny, expel, or suspend memberships for any non-discriminatory cause.

Code of Ethics violation procedure:

Any violation of this code by a member must be reported in writing with full detail to the Ethics Committee of the Association. If it is the opinion of the committee that a violation may have taken place, the committee will schedule a hearing to allow the member in alleged violation an opportunity to respond. If it is then the opinion of the Ethics Committee that the member did violate this code, the committee will present to the Board of Directors all details and make a recommendation to: (a) send the violating member a letter of reprimand, or (b) suspend the violating member for a period of time, or (c) expel the violating member from the Association. The recommendation may be adopted only after a majority vote by the Board of Directors. The member in the alleged violation will have the right to provide testimony either in person or in writing to the Board of Directors prior to their decision.

In the event that the member who is alleged to have violated the code is on the Ethics Committee or the Board of Directors, that member shall abstain from all meetings, discussions and votes regarding his/her alleged violation.  In all cases of an alleged violation, all details of the violation, hearing, recommendation of the committee and decision of the Board of a reprimand will be confidential. The only information released by the Board will be that a specified (named) member has been “suspended” or “expelled”.