MPPTA Technical Support

After Getting Buffaloed, Bison Business Learned Marketing Lessons

Meat and poultry processors seeking lessons in diversification need look no further than the U.S. bison business.

Twenty-five years ago, the bison business looked like a giant pyramid scheme. Prices for live animals escalated dramatically in the 1990’s as ranchers competed to build their herds with the limited number of animals available. By 1999, prices for breeding stock had reached unsustainable heights, with the grand champion breeding bull selling for $101,000 at the National Bison Association’s annual Gold Trophy sale.

Navigating the New Reality in the Livestock Marketplace

When the USDA established the Meat and Poultry Processing Technical Assistance network in 2022, beef ranchers and other livestock producers were facing delays of more than a year in scheduling their animals for processing.

With apologies to Bob Dylan, the times, they have changed. Driven by drought, trade restrictions, and other factors, the U.S. cattle inventory has dropped to a 70-year low, with only marginal signs indicating any rebuilding is underway.