Bison are a natural part of the American landscape and the U.S. consumers have embraced the flavor and nutritional benefits. Now, Mexican consumers will also be able to shop for U.S. bison.
The Mexican border is now open for U.S. bison exports after a two-year effort. David Carter, with the National Bison Association, states, “So, two years ago we went to FAS with a request to work with us to get the market in Mexico open to bison because many of our marketers have gotten requests from customers who would like to import bison.”
Purchases from Mexico could help balance the market.
“The Mexican consumer takes a lot of parts that U.S. consumer doesn’t but. The thin meats, the variety, so it really helps balance our carcass utilization,” Carter said.
He added that producer are already gearing up to begin exporting products. Sales of bison meat in restaurants and retails stores comes in around $350 million dollars each year and typically commands a premium over beef products.