July is Bison Month!
Celebrate the United States Mammal throughout the Month
Written by Jim Matheson - Executive Director, National Bison Association
July 1, 2023 (Westminster, Colo.) - The National Bison Association announced the kickoff to July Bison Month today, encouraging consumers to add this uniquely American, delicious, humanely raised, supremely healthy protein to their regular diets.
The American Bison, whose population once exceeded 30 million animals, was decimated to near extinction in the late 19th century through a combination of hunting, slaughter, and western-introduced disease. However, the bison has made a tremendous comeback and now numbers over 400,000 head across the continent. This is thanks to a unique collaboration among American farmers and ranchers, Native American tribes, and conservation groups all working to restore the species back to its historic range across North America. It is this collaboration that also successfully made the American bison named the first-ever National Mammal of the United States in 2016.
By making bison a part of your diet, you are eating a delicious, natural, nutrient-dense protein that is healthy for you and good for the environment. By choosing bison, you are helping to restore herds to North American grasslands while supporting regenerative agriculture. Our campaign, Eat Bison to Restore Bison, is educating consumers about their important role in restoring the species, who, by supporting bison ranchers, are in turn supporting grassland regeneration, carbon sequestration, soil regeneration, increased biodiversity, and more bison on the landscape.
July Bison Month, while not a federally designated observance, is celebrated each July by the bison community and is a time in which bison farmers and ranchers promote the delicious taste of bison burgers, steaks, ribs, and roasts as a summer grilling treat. Bison is the leanest protein commercially available to consumers today boasting 26% more iron than beef and 87% lower in fat. Bison has 766% more B12 vitamins than chicken, and 32% less fat, based on nutrient data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Bison is easier to find than ever with all major grocery chains carrying at least ground bison, packaged steaks, with fresh cuts available at natural and specialty food stores, local butchers, etc. offering the same cuts yielded from a beef animal. Bison is showing up on more restaurant menus, and not just bison burgers as chefs discover the versatility of this uniquely American protein. And that’s not to mention bison’s growing prevalence online, at farmer’s markets, farm stores, CSA programs, and beyond.
Find a local bison producer near you with our easy-to-use BuySome Bison app, or our online buyer’s guide, both available at www.bisoncentral.com/buying-bison-meat/, and find bison-specific recipes, nutritional data, cuts, and instructional cooking videos at www.bisoncentral.com/how-to-cook-bison/.
The National Bison Association is a 28-year-old, member-based, nonprofit trade association made up of bison farmers, ranchers, marketers, conservationists, public herd managers, enthusiasts and more. We are based in Westminster, Colorado. Learn more at www.bisoncentral.com, and @nationalbison.
