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Okay, maybe not the past this month, but in keeping with the news of our National Mammal.
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CHANGING THINGS UP A BIT. NEWS WILL BE SORTED BY:
STATE, COUNTRIES, LEGISLATION, MISC. ECOLOGICAL, FOOD & RECIPES , YELLOWSTONE AND ASSOCIATIONS (as the news comes in)
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MINNESOTA
Bison Are Back At Minneopa
KEYC
There are 11 bison in the herd, and because they like to stay in their herd, ... Conservation herd, that's where they came from as well as the Minnesota Zoo." ... to call ahead to make sure that it's no bull that the bison drive is ready. |
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| Maybe you're familiar with the red paintbrush wildflower (castilleja indivisa) but take a look at her pink perennial cousin (Castilleja purpurea). There is, in fact, a range of colors. Paintbrushes gain some of their food supply from grasses and are included in the snapdragon family. The seeds are tiny at four million per pound so you only need a quarter pound per acre for planting. Save the wildlife and make spaces for nature. |
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ALASKA
Location, location, location: Some bison are on the move
Alaska Dispatch News
Spring is not the usual time to be thinking about hunting bison. However, a recent report of a half dozen buffalo on the Richardson Highway near ...
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NEBRASKA
London Free Press
Commercial bison farming is big business in Nebraska and the Kreyciks' 2,000-acre spread is by no means the largest. That would be TV mogul Ted ... |
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Southern Plains Pointers: April 2016
Calving & Adapting To Us
Things tend to happen all at once this time of year, or so it seems in the southern plains, leaving us charged with thinking ahead and managing for stepping aside and letting nature take its course. Calving problems can happen with bison. Heifers do heifer things like spook at the new shadow, cows can choose ‘the herd’ over a slow-starter, and young bulls can be a problem if they confuse the scent of calving with estrus. It is also true that 90% of the fetal development occurs in the last trimester of pregnancy. This is not specific to bison and we just need to be careful with over feeding during that period to prevent [causing] calves too big at birth. The catch is; adequate nutrition is required for healthy reproductive function. Personally I like to save my supplemental feed budget for the breeding season and keep the rest of the year limited to mineral, forage and worming. If your management has resulted in thin cows during the last trimester and calving, it’s best to wait till breeding season to feed them out of trouble. Make no mistake - thin cows can be in trouble! Some of the boxes to check going into calving might include:[ 1]an orphan kit / just in case [2] no feeding if forage is adequate [3] letting them calve in zones with mostly open grassland to mitigate predation and maternal disconnect [4] making sure you have mineral out [5] relationship with a veterinarian familiar to the herd & [6] as much of your absence as you can supply them. Calving season should be the lowest labor cycle in your program for many reasons. Personally, I think the best reason is that we want the species to remain independent of people as much as possible. As managers, we strive for better and stronger bison every year. Better bison, like better anything, involves genetics, but has even more to do with nutrition.
Bison may be re-adapting to plenty of good nutrition and achieving their former physical glory and wild state of big - because they are captive! Pre-Columbian bison would have moved from feed to feed, leaving behind perfectly tillered and conditioned soil for re-growth and the return of grazers. I can defend this thesis because I have a time machine. That’s right, I have a time machine and it’s called a bison herd… I know how far they can walk in a day’s work, why they move and how predictable their nature tends to be. They are the perfect intensive-rotational-mob-grazer that forward thinking ecologists and land stewards strive to emulate with domestic animals. So; prehistoric bison would have managed their own nutrition toward optimum and ‘fed’ their genetic makeup to unmitigated fruition. Today, more and more folks are learning about managing habitats for healthy bison, and the economics warrant the investment in the land - and the herd. Fences that once denied nutrition literally, now disappear metaphorically because they grant it. Here’s the catch; because all bison are captive, and all bison are managed somehow either by way of denial or grant, there’s a place for philosophy. Personally, I choose the philosophy of keeping it simple and not causing reproductive dependence on people. That sounds noble and conscientious, but it gets tuff when doing the right thing for the species costs money. This is what sets the bison rancher apart from the crowd, and why bison ranching is not for everyone. Bison are nature’s great adapters, which by evidence over the last 100+ years, – are (!) adapting to us.
For more about orphans – go to the archives and read: Southern Plains Pointers, April 2014
 Frasier Bison L.L.C.
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NORTH CAROLINA
Vista Wood: Home is where the buffalo roam
News & Observer
The Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm has a herd of 100 bison on 260 acres and ... In North Carolina, there were 25 bison farms with 312 animals as of the ...
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MONTANA
PUBLISHED APRIL 1ST
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Canada
Wood bison now a 'threatened' NWT species
CBC.ca
Better drive with extra care when you see a wood bison on the side of a highway in the Northwest Territories: the burly beasts have joined Western ...
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Tribal
Native American culture celebrated
Western Courier (subscription)
Jo Lakota, a member of the intertribal community, spoke of the importance of Native American cultures and teachings. She came for the bison blessing ...
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Bison Coalition
Dear Vote Bison Coalition Members,
We’re pleased to share the news that last night the U.S. Senate, led by Senators John Hoeven (R-ND) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) passed the National Bison Legacy Act (NBLA) by unanimous consent, clearing the bill through Congress and sending it to the President for his signature. Thursday’s action followed House passage on Tuesday of the bill, which was engineered by Representatives William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Kristi Noem (R-SD), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), and José E. Serrano (D-NY).
This is big news for our country; we’ve made history – the bison is America’s new National Mammal. But while we expect President Obama to approve the bill, a formal signing ceremony isn’t a “given.” We need all Coalition members to write into the White House today – asking for a White House signing ceremony generating the widespread public attention and place in the public record that our success deserves.
We’d like to share some statements from our NBLA champs in Congress.
“The bison, like the bald eagle, has for many years been a symbol of America for its strength, endurance and dignity, reflecting the pioneer spirit of America,” Senator Hoeven said at the press conference in the Capitol Wednesday.
“Recognition of our new national mammal will bring a new source of pride for Americans…and also bring greater attention to ongoing conservation and species recovery efforts,” stated Sen. Heinrich at the press conference. “I hope that in my lifetime, thanks to a broad coalition of conservation ranchers, wildlife advocates, and tribal nations, we will see bison return to the prominent place they once occupied in our nation’s shortgrass prairies.”
Rep. Clay opened the House voting session, stating: “No other indigenous species tells America’s story better than this noble creature. The American bison is an enduring symbol of strength, Native American culture and the boundless western wildness. It is an integral part of the still largely untold story of Native Americans and their historic contributions to our national identity.” He also described the personal meaning of the Act in reference to his own heritage, with his great-great grandfather—a Buffalo Soldier.
From across the aisle, Rep. Noem added in support: “The Tatanka is important both physically and spiritually in Native American culture. This bill recognizes that. Bison are a cultural example of how to live in a healthy and productive manner. There are also lessons to be learned about resilience from these animals, which were nearly being wiped from existence at one point. Through the efforts of tribes, ranchers, conservationists and others, the species has survived and can once again be lifted as a literal and cultural example of productivity from which each of us can learn.”
House Government Oversight and Reform Committee Chair Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) concluded the appeal to House Members by commenting on the majestic nature of the bison and places like Yellowstone National Park where they can be enjoyed by America’s public.
All 6 Members of Congress joined VBC Steering Committee members John Calvelli from Wildlife Conservation Society and Dave Carter from the National Bison Association in the press conference. John covered VBC principles underlying the national mammal naming: “As an ecological keystone, cultural bedrock and economic driver, the bison conveys values such as unity, resilience and commitment to healthy landscapes and communities.”
Dave described how America’s landscape bears “the indelible hoofprint” of generations of bison, with grass and wildlife species evolving “in concert with the bison.” “It’s what we call sustainable agriculture,” he said, emphasizing the sizable role ranchers have played in bison restoration. Americans are “embracing the taste and nutritional value of bison,” as “the economic development story” of bison ranching unfolds.
InterTribal Buffalo Council Executive Director and Yankton Sioux Tribal Member Jim Stone adds: “The buffalo and our tribes have been intertwined since time immemorial and we are very pleased to see this being represented through this effort. This will allow us to share or story and provide education about this relationship for years to come.”
Likening the bison to salsa and Hip Hop as iconic American culture emanating from New York, Rep. Serrano said at the press event: “The bison has a special place not only in U.S. history, but also in the Bronx community. It is the largest land mammal native to the United States and thanks to the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Bronx Zoo, which took the lead in saving the bison from extinction more than a century ago, we can still enjoy its majesty today.”
“In the midst of such a difficult political environment, it is good to pass legislation that is important to the American narrative.” Rep. Fortenberry added. “Bison have a storied history in Nebraska and are an important part of our nation's frontier heritage.”
The Coalition has another chance to act in support of the NBLA – ask President Obama to sign the Act in a formal ceremony at the White House. We don’t have much time to influence the decision. The White House needs to hear by Monday that a signing ceremony is vital.
Please use the template below or your own words and prepare a letter to the White House today. The most expedient way to reach White House decision-makers is to email it to me to pass along. This also allows us to track who has sent in letters for our recommended list of invitees to related commemorative events. If you could please send the letter, addressed to President Obama, to me at ecomtinternational@verizon.net, I will make sure it gets to our contact at the White House the same day.
Please express the value of a signing ceremony from your own perspective. The letter can be short and to the point and sent within the body an email or as an attachment:
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As a partner in the Vote Bison Coalition, I am proud to share with you that Congress has passed the National Bison Legacy Act adopting the American bison as our country’s national mammal. The bison represents aspects of treasured American values—unity, resilience and healthy landscapes and communities. Please consider a formal White House ceremony when you sign this important act into law in the next couple weeks. Such an event would bring deserved public attention to this historic moment.
From my perspective as a [type of bison supporter], a White House ceremony would help make the public aware of the great comeback of bison after a previous century of demise, celebrate bipartisan leadership on legislation during your term, and share the variety of ways bison are meaningful in everyday American life.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
[name, title, organization, address, email, phone]
Thank you for taking action on this critical appeal to the White House. Please also consider ways your organization can stimulate press and public attention through social media, and innovate to get the message out and raise the profile of our new national mammal. Feel free to utilize the new bison seal and elements of our VBC press release found at http://votebison.org/resources.
The NBLA passage has resulted in massive media response. A sampling of top hits are highlighted below, and more appear daily. Please share with us any coverage you may come across. And it’s not too late for new Coalition members to join; we aim to double the Coalition’s membership in the months leading up to National Bison Day on November 5.
Thank you for your involvement!
VOTE BISON!
Julie Anton Randall
Vote Bison Campaign Coordinator
AmericanBisonCampaign@gmail.com
Julie Anton Randall
National Campaign Coordinator
Vote Bison Campaign
703-864-7770
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Food and Recipes
Shalane Flanagan's favorite post-race meal is a burger and a beer
Boston.com
“Our Greek Bison Burgers were inspired by Shalane's craving for red meat while training at high altitude,” Kopecky said. “Bison is high in iron, ...
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Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park officials say they’ve met the lower end of their goal for culling the bison herd. Bison trapping in the park ended Thursday.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported that park spokeswoman Amy Bartlett said officials estimate that about 550 bison have been removed this year. That’s 50 fewer than the bison managers’ goal of removing at least 600, but Bartlett said it’s close enough. She also said the number might go up because officials are still waiting for a final count.
Bison managers cull the herd every year to comply with a plan created after the state of Montana sued the park over bison migrating into the state. The Inter-agency Bison Management Plan sets a target population of 3,000 bison in the Yellowstone area. There are currently about 5,000 bison there.
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THE NEW BENCHMARKING PROJECT IS UNDERWAY FOR ALBERTA
- are YOU participating ?
Data is necessary for producers wanting to expand their operation, people wanting to enter the bison industry, and bankers looking for performance measures in the bison industry. The results from the last Benchmarking Project of five years provided a solid base of numbers that both financial institutions and producers could use.
The CBA and Bison Producers of Alberta together are working on a new two-year Benchmarking Project (ending February 28, 2018) with more focus on developing tools for producers. Tools such as production calculators, ‘Bison 101’ with a focus on getting new people involved in the bison industry and necessary steps to do so, and ‘Bison 102’ which will reflect utilizing the benchmarking data with a business planning component.
An anticipated 40 Alberta farms will be participating, and with that data combined with the data from the expected 40 Saskatchewan farms that are conducting a Benchmarking Project in their province – there will be a wealth of information to be shared.
The BPA believes the results from this Project will add the business element needed in a successful bison operation for Alberta producers.
For More information or to participate please call 1-780-955-1995
Upcoming Events
Bison Auction - Vold Jones & Vold Bison Auction - Kramer Auctions Ltd.
When: Wednesday, May 11th , 2016
Where: North Battleford, SK Bison Cooking Presentations at the Calgary Stampede
When: Friday, July 15th and Saturday, July 16th
Where: Calgary Co-op Kitchen Theatre in the BMO, Calgary Stampede GroundsThird Annual Bison Festival at Elk Island National Park When: Saturday, August 13th Where: Elk Island National Park (east of Edmonton on the Yellowhead Hwy)
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EASTERN BISON ASSOCIATION
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 National Bison Association
National Bison Legacy Act Headed to White House for Signature
NBA Executive Director Dave Carter addresses a news conference in Washington, D.C. celebrating passage of the national Bison Legacy Act. See video of Dave's speech by clicking here.
The bison is headed to its rightful place as America's official National Mammal.
A four-year cooperative effort among the National Bison Association, the Inter Tribal Buffalo Council and the Wildlife Conservation Society bore fruit this week as Congress wrapped up final action to pass the National Bison Legacy Act, which establishes bison as the National Mammal of the United States. The legislation now heads to the White House for President Obama's signature.
The legislation, began to gather steam last fall, when U.S. Sen John Hoeven (R-ND) began to lobby his colleagues to approve the proposal. The Senate gave formal approval in December.
However, passage in the House had been stymied in recent years because of some procedural rules in the Government Oversight Committee. House Bill Champions William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Kristi Noem (R-SD), and Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) worked with the committee's new chair U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) to modify the committee rules to allow consideration of the measure. The committee approved the measure in March, and the Full House gave final passage this week.
Hoeven and other key sponsors of the legislation held a formal news conference at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to celebrate passage of the bill.
At a news conference, Hoeven noted, "The bison, like the bald eagle, has for many years been a symbol of America for its strength, endurance and dignity, reflecting the pioneer spirit of America," Senator Hoeven said. "Both the Senate and the House have now passed the National Bison Legacy Act, which names this noble animal as our national mammal. This is a fitting designation that recognizes the important cultural and economic role the bison has played in our nation's history."
NBA Executive Director Dave Carter also address the news conference, highlighting the role that private ranchers are playing in restoring bison to rangelands and pastures across the country. He also noted that the American public is a key partner in bison restoration by providing the economic incentive for ranchers to build their herds.
Here are links to some of the news articles concerning passage of the Bison Legacy Act.
http://www.jamestownsun.com/news/local/4019973-bison-one-step-away-becoming-us-national-mammal
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/27/politics/bison-national-mammal/index.html
https://www.rt.com/usa/341315-bison-national-mammal-obama/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article74563407.html
Bison Meat Prices Surge in March
Wholesale bison meat prices took their largest one-month jump in recent years in March, climbing to new record levels.
Prices that processors paid for young bull carcasses in March reached $441.84/Cwt. in March, $9.58/Cwt. higher than in February and $27.97/Cwt. higher than the previous March. Heifer carcasses brought $430.47/Cwt. in March. That was $13.15/Cwt. higher than in February and $29.66/Cwt. higher than in Mach 2015. Older bulls were slightly lower in March, but older cows were higher.
Processors, are still wrestling with extremely tight supplies of slaughter-ready animals. Despite the higher prices, the 12,581 bison processed year-to-date in 2016 is one percent lower than were processed during the same period in 2015.
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