Where's the beef?

by Bennett Owen

USA Today notes a shortage of bison meat, with the buffalo’s paltry reproductive process unable to keep pace with surging demand for a leaner, richer tasting (and costlier) alternative to beef.  Retail prices for bison average $7 a pound, up $2 from just a year ago.  From the Article:

[Ed] Eichten, who has been raising bison for 22 years, said he doesn't see demand falling off as it does with many food fads. People "want that fresh, locally grown product and they're willing to pay a premium for it," he said.

He and other producers say bison can be easier to raise than cattle, but there are some unique challenges. It's tough to keep them fenced, Eichten said. And, he never walks through his herd; he always uses a vehicle.

"The animal is pretty wild," he said. "You have to watch your butt around them.. .. I've clocked them at 40 miles an hour. They can rock and roll."

Read the full article here.

As this tourist in Yellowtone Park can attest!  

The article says Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado are the top bison producing states. And Ted Turner is the single biggest herd owner with 55-thousand head and his own “Ted’s Montana Grill” chain that sells about 1.5 million pounds of bison beef per year.