Shoshone-Bannock buffalo graze in the north pasture viewed from above. (Joseph Wadsworth/Sho-Ban News file photo)
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Agri-Business Corporation has been awarded a $500,000 grant for basic infrastructure needs for safe buffalo management.
The funds come from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to support the restoration of bison populations and grassland ecosystems in tribal communities.
The initiative aims to strengthen bison conservation, expansion, improved management of existing herds and ecosystem restoration efforts in native grassland habitats according to a Department of Interior press release.
“Bison are vitally important culturally, economically and ecologically. These investments from the President’s Investing in America agenda support our efforts to revitalize tribal cultures and communities and help conserve and restore important ecosystems that benefit all Americans,” said Bryan Newland, assistant secretary for Indian Affairs.
Mike Patton, Shoshone-Bannock Enterprise and Agri-Business Corporation Board chairman, said, “We’re pretty excited about the opportunity,” with the grant.
According to Mark Wadsworth, Agri-Business manager, the eventual plan is to expand the herd to 1,010 head from the current size of 524 head but that is in the future – a business and marketing plan has yet to be completed. The reintroduction area range units are 23 and 27 on the south end of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.
The initial grant will be used to improve basic infrastructure of the existing boundary fencing, cross fencing and watering sites for effective buffalo animal control as they intend to increase acreage for buffalo grazing by 52,391.57 acres or 6,585 AUM’s.
Wadsworth said the funds will be used for personnel including hiring four temporary buffalo technicians, equipment including the purchase two 4x4 diesel trucks with flatbeds and winches; two four-wheelers; two snow machines for winter herd management and two hauling trailers.
In addition, they intend to spend $44,460 on fencing supplies such as steel posts, wooden fence posts, brace posts, barbed wire, wire stays, corral poles, wire staples and fencing boards.
They also plan to spend funds for two employees to travel to the Inter-tribal Bison Cooperative conference along with a workshop for tribal youth on rangelands and reintroduction of buffalo by various tribal programs including tribal elders.
An additional $55,000 will be spend on a grazing management study and monitoring system for reintroduction of buffalo on rangelands contract.
The existing buffalo herd currently roams on approximately 5,363 acres of tribal pasturelands and more than 3,381 of the acres are in the Fort Hall Bottoms. The herd roams over two separate pastures – the larger of the two is 3,061 acres on the south side of Sheepskin Road and the other is 320 acres on the north side of Sheepskin Road. The north pasture is used for feeding hay during the winter. The south pasture is used to summer most of the buffalo herd with cows, calves and bulls grazing the natural forage – there’s plentiful spring water according to the grant submission. Approximately 50 to 60 head of yearlings are transported to an 812-acres mountain pasture located on tribal fee land in Ross Fork. The animals placed on the mountain pasture are preferred for slaughter.
Currently tribal buffalo meat is sold at the Shoshone-Bannock Enterprises and is on the menu at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel. The Yellowstone Restaurant in Pocatello also purchases high end buffalo meat such as ribeyes and tenderloins. Any meat sold to restaurants and for sale must be USDA inspected. Buffalo manager Lance Tissidimit said hunter outfits are also purchasing live buffalo.
The program has received a $77,800 grant from the Inter-Tribal Bison Council to purchase a mobile slaughter unit. It’s about ten foot tall where the carcasses can be hung. Wadsworth said it has the capacity to handle four buffalo in a cooler. The unit is being built in Idaho Falls.
Wadsworth said they’re working with the Land Use Department and Commission, along with the Fort Hall Business Council regarding the improvements and the potential herd expansion.
Eventually when the herd size is increased Wadsworth said they would hold heifers back to grow the herd without selling them. There’s also programs through ITBC to get excess buffalo surplus animals from different National Parks such as Roosevelt, Grand Canyon, Wind Cave, to name a few. ITBC also pays for transport of the animals.
Wadsworth emphasized they won’t be adding any buffalo with the initial round of funding – just improving the grazing areas and improving the infrastructure.
The idea for herd expansion is the utilize the Tribes natural resources and create programs that are profitable or break even. A business plan is being completed this year. He said there is a definite need in the community.
Board member Jennifer Fisher said what she likes the most about the grant is it gives Native American communities a chance to restore their sacred cultural traditions – the buffalo being so important to the culture. It promotes sustainability and practices, along with ensuring food sovereignty. She said everybody wants grass fed buffalo.