"Bison Herd Empowers Prairie Island Community's Journey to Food Sovereignty"

The Prairie Island Indian Community in Minnesota has been working to restore their relationship with bison, which they see as their relatives. The community now cares for a large herd of at least 300 bison on a 110-acre farm along the Mississippi River. They are advocating for tribal self-governance under the farm bill to reclaim food sovereignty and have more control over the production and distribution of Indigenous foods. The Native Farm Bill Coalition is pushing for a pilot project that would support the purchase of traditional foods, and the USDA has announced a pilot program for the purchase of bison and other wild meats. The community also hopes to have more access to USDA conservation programs to support their bison production.