Increased demand for sustainable meat has the bison industry poised to grow significantly this year, and the industry recently announced the “Bison One Million” campaign, which sets sights on helping the North American bison population grow to one million strong this year.

North America’s bison population, once on the verge of extinction in the 1880’s with less than 700 bison, has steadily recovered. Today, an estimated 391,000 bison are in North American private, public and tribal herds, according to National Bison Association (NBA) data. Adding 609,000 head of America’s official mammal to this continent’s collective herd will be no easy or swift feat.

The industry isn’t stopping their efforts at growing herd sizes across the continent. Dave Carter, Executive Director of NBA, sat down for an interview this week to discuss the industry’s commitment to building off the recent increase in consumer demand for bison products and gaining more consumer interest across the country with a “Bison Hump Day” campaign. The campaign mimicks popular trends like “Meatless Monday” and “Taco Tuesday” in an effort to incorporate bison into dinner menus across America every Wednesday.

“Consumers love bison because the nutritional profile of the meat fits right in with people’s concerns about diet and health: it’s low in fat, high in protein and iron, and it’s got a great cholesterol profile,” said Carter. “It also fits within their interest for natural and sustainable foods. What could be more sustainable than the animal that helped shape this environment over the last several thousand years?”

Those interested in taking part in Bison Hump Day can find information on local producers and restaurants that serve bison products can check out NBA’s website or download NBA’s new Bison Finder app.

Listen to Lizzy’s full interview with Dave here”
Interview with Dave Carter, National Bison Association

All images courtesy of the National Bison Association.