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Center of Excellence for Bison Studies South Dakota State University

Center of Excellence for Bison Studies

About

The Center of Excellence for Bison Studies was formally launched in September 2020 as a partnership between South Dakota State University, the National Bison Association and the National Buffalo Foundation. The Center of Excellence for Bison Studies is headquartered at the SDSU West River Research and Extension center in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Announcement: 2025 Competitive Grants Program now open!

Letters of intent for this year's competitive grant program are due Oct. 25th, 2024. Those selected to submit full applications will be notified by Dec. 20th, and full proposals will be due Feb. 28th, 2025. Please click on the link below for detailed instructions for submitting a Letter of Intent.

Questions can be sent to Center Director Dr. Kristi Cammack.

Letter of Intent Instructions

The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill authorizes the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture to recognize centers of excellence in research, extension and education in the food and agricultural sciences. The Center of Excellence for Bison Studies is coordinated through SDSU, but will include active participation by researchers and extension officials from other land grant universities, including 1994 tribal land-grant colleges and universities.

The center will focus on research activities to improve bison herd health and the economic viability of both private and tribal bison producers.

Center of Excellence for Bison Studies News

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Symposium attendees enjoy catching up during a break in the presentations. Many chose to browse through the student research posters during the break.

Bison specialists from U.S., Canada attend health symposium at SDSU

Bison specialists from across the United States and Canada gathered in Brookings recently for the second International Bison Health Symposium, attended by nearly 140 producers, veterinarians, tribal leaders, government officials, researchers and zoo managers.

USDA FSA working to include bison herds affected with Mycoplasma in livestock assistance programs, carcass disposal assistance also available

Leadership at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) have responded to a request from National Bison Association to find a new path for relief for bison producers affected by Mycoplasma infection and mortality. In previous years, the FSA considered Mycoplasma to be a secondary infection in bison, which prevented producers from qualifying for reimbursement for death losses under the agency’s Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).
Center of Excellence for Bison Studies

New Center of Excellence to Advance Bison Research, Knowledge

The future of America’s national mammal continued to brighten this week as officials from South Dakota State University, the National Bison Association and the National Buffalo Foundation formally launched the Center of Excellence for Bison Studies, to be headquartered at SDSU’s West River Research and Extension facility in Rapid City.