QUEBEC CITY — Bison should not follow the production path well trodden by cattle, says an agricultural marketing expert. The future of markets for bison operations and product lies in capitalizing on local markets and promoting bison as a healthy meat.
Brent Warner, owner of White Loaf Ridge, an agriculture marketing company, told producers at the July 25-27 International Bison Conference that they are well positioned to profit from trends in food, health and agri-tourism.
“What we don’t want to see happen to bison … is what happened to beef,” said Warner, the former executive director of Farmers’ Markets Canada.
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“The industry itself is having problems because consumers have lost faith in that product in a lot of ways and their health is driving them to a different product.
“So we don’t want to see bison looking like beef.”
Mark Silzer, president of the Canadian Bison Association, said his organization wants to attract more producers to meet rising demand. Among those answering the call are beef producers.
“We’ve seen in some cases people that had beef herds before making the switch to bison because they feel it requires a significantly lower labour component than a beef herd,” said Silzer.
“We need more producers to join us in raising these animals.”
Warner said many of today’s consumers are looking for natural or organic products, or have concerns about animal welfare, antibiotics, growth promotants or pesticides and branding the product is one way to attract that market.
“What is the bison brand? Why are consumers interested in bison? Because it fits every single thing they’re looking for.”
Canadian chefs have embraced the use of local food in recent years, which is a boon for bison producers who can service that market.
Consumers, particularly baby boomers, are looking for a red meat they consider healthier than beef and bison seems to fit the bill. Warner said the industry should emphasize the health claims of bison as a lower fat, lower cholesterol alternative.
He also sees major opportunities for agri-tourism in the bison industry. Warner said statistics show North Americans are not willing to spend money on food but they will spend on communications, health and education.
“My challenge to everybody in agriculture is, how do you make food fit into health and education?”
Agri-tourism answers that question, he said. The wine industry figured out the opportunities long ago, and “it’s just juice in a bottle,” said Warner. “But they didn’t just put juice in a bottle. They put this whole package together.”
As another example, the price of pumpkins hasn’t changed in 40 years, but a farm experience involving children and pumpkins allows producers to charge higher prices.
Warner suggested bison producers who can create an experience for visitors could capitalize on growing interest in agri-tourism.
