The once-massive herds that numbered nearly 30 million head roaming freely from the plains of Texas to beyond the Canadian border had been decimated by hunters. At one point, less than 1,000 animals remained.

Fast forward 100 years.

Today, dozens of bison farms dot the landscape of Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Commercial bison production and processing is big business. Bison meat can be found at local meat markets, and more and more Americans are discovering the health benefits of bison meat.

‘You have to look for it’

Just ask Norman Cramer II and his wife, Jessica, owners of Cramer’s Range Line Meat Co. in Joplin.

“We do sell quite a bit of buffalo,” said Jessica Cramer. “We have buffalo roasts, steaks, brisket flats, and we really go through a lot of ground buffalo, too. It’s very popular.”

Norman Cramer, the son and namesake of the business' founder, said that they have carried bison meat in their butcher shop for years. He seemed a little surprised, however, at the way the market for the exotic meat has grown.

“Buffalo is getting more popular, but it is still pretty specialized,” he said. “You can’t just find it just anywhere. You have to look for it.”

Jessica Cramer suggests bison meat can be juicer than beef, and when cooked correctly, can be more tender, too.

Norman Cramer contends that buffalo may cost a little bit more than beef, but he added, it’s really pretty comparable for what you get.

Source: Cedar Creek Pilot