WASHINGTON — The US Department of Agriculture announced a new, interagency pilot project to increase localized ground bison meat for tribal communities. Through the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), the project will look at changes in how USDA can better support purchasing the meat from local, small and mid-sized bison herd managers and delivering it directly to their tribal communities.

The local purchases will reduce transportation costs, increase economic development market opportunities for tribal and local bison operations and provide high-quality foods for nutrition assistance programs.

“USDA recognizes the role its purchasing power can play in providing access for smaller, local, and tribal producers,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “We’re pleased to take this step forward toward offering locally raised bison directly to the tribal communities where those herds are located.”

Three tribal nations are partnering in the pilot: the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Lower Brule Sioux Tribe. The tribes’ herd managers and local producer Dakota Pure Bison will play instrumental roles in the project.

“Our nation-to-nation relationship with tribes enriches how USDA does business for Indian Country and for all of rural America,” said Heather Dawn Thompson, director of tribal relations. “This pilot is an important step to use government procurement flexibly for the benefit of tribal and our smaller producers and their surrounding communities.”

The pilot comes as a response to feedback from across Indian Country. Tribal leaders indicated that USDA purchase specifications do not align with how tribal and other small to mid-sized producers operate.

On Sept. 18, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service awarded bison contracts to the following four tribal and local producers:

• Akicita Consulting (owned by the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe)
• Brownotter Buffalo Ranch (operating on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation)
• Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Buffalo Authority Corporation (owned by the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation)
• Dakota Pure Bison (operating on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation)