At Northstar Bison in Rice Lake, Wis., Lee and Mary Graese are good stewards. Their bison live as they would in the wild, grazing on native grasses. But Northstar sells more than bison meat.

In 2005, Lee and Mary purchased their own processing plant. They saw a need to help local farmers get their products to market. “Most farmers would rather work with animals and with the land,” Mary said, and they don’t always like marketing their product.

“Farmers end up taking their prime product to the commodities market and getting underpriced. Using Northstar Bison’s processing, as well as our marketing and distribution network, they can sell their products at a good price.”

This ensures farmers are being compensated fairly and allows them to
do what they do best: tend their animals and their land.

Northstar works with their farmers to ensure they are following good farming practices — raising grass-fed, free-range, non-GMO animals without using antibiotics or hormones — and they have a producer’s conference every year to maintain these relationships.

So, the next time you shop for meat, in addition to bison, look for Northstar’s pork and elk. Support local farmers! Visit your favorite Outpost and try a variety of meats from Northstar Bison.