REGINA – Indians once stampeded bison off cliffs and harvested meat from the fallen animals.
Today, bison meat is again on the cliff edge, threatening to fall in price. But experts say good marketing can reduce the fall
Producers have reached the inevitable point in the specialty livestock cycle where meat supply problems begin.
In the beginning of any specialty livestock industry the pressure to build breeding herds is strong, so there is little meat available. Producers receive high prices for what meat they have.
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Once developed, the herds begin to turn out enough slaughter animals to pressure meat prices downward, which also gets the product into the mainstream of consumer consciousness.
“The problem comes when buyers in grocery stores and restaurants feel they can’t count on a steady supply or a supply when they demand it,” said Gorhum Hussey of Canadian Frontier Foods.
Speaking to the Canadian Bison Association annual meeting during Canadian Western Agribition last week, he said supply is only one hurdle facing the industry.
The others include quality control, the creation of a public product identity and consumer education.
While total numbers of the North American herd are disputed, provincial and state governments estimate 175,000 bison are raised on farms and ranches. Producer groups and associations claim higher numbers, as much as 250,000. Slaughter estimates also vary from 25,000 to 34,000 last year.
The Saskatchewan government estimated the four western provinces contain 43,000 animals, a major portion of the continental herd.
Despite differences over the numbers there has been a fluctuation in demand that has left some meat in the freezers longer than distributors would like.
“Producers need to know that they cannot market their bison like beef. If they want premium prices then they need to work with their marketer, whoever that is,” said Bob Plumb, a producer and slaughter bison buyer, for B and E Ranch of Smoky Lake, Alta.
Plumb said growers must plan to market their animals. That plan includes letting buyers know the number and quality of the animals expected long before delivery.
“It is a gourmet product and we need some time to sell it properly,” said Plumb.
Dennis Sexus, of the North American Bison Co-operative, said members of the co-op are coming to terms with quality control.
“Because they (producers) are involved (at the co-op) in the whole process from production to the cut meat, they are learning that there is more money in marketing the best quality animals and being consistent,” he said.
Dan Patten, a producer from Bezanson, Alta, said: “That education process is critical to the industry at this point. As producers we can’t just expect buyers to take that bum animal just because we have a few more good ones to go along with it. We can’t just raise them and drop them off at the auction mart. It doesn’t work that way.”
As well, the Canadian Bison Association is working with the commercial cooking department of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary to produce cooking guidelines and recipes that can be distributed to chefs and the public.
