Road Show 2006- What's it all about? by Mike Mease

The Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) is a non-profit organization focused on protecting America's last wild, free ranging, genetically pure buffalo located in Yellowstone National Park. Although there are over 300,000 bison in the US only 15,000 are genetically pure. The rest have cattle genes. Of these 15,000 pure buffalo the Yellowstone bison are unique in that they have continually occupied their native range. Montana has a "zero tolerance" policy for buffalo entering the state and has killed more than 3500 since 1985. The state blames the slaughter on brucellosis, although there has never been a documented transmission from wild bison to livestock. Ironically, the cows gave the disease to many species of wildlife and now only the buffalo are slaughtered. Elk have transmitted brucellosis disease to cattle yet elk are not even mentioned in the management plan as a problem. With our country's infamous history of mass buffalo slaughter it is a bitter irony that 130 years later we are allowing history to repeat itself. Native American tribes have pleaded to take live YNP buffalo back to their reservations. The request has fallen on deaf ears. In a single week in March of 2003 the National Park Service slaughtered 231 buffalo from within Yellowstone National Park. In the year 2004 the Park Service killed 267 inside the Park again. The Buffalo Field Campaign is working to gain protection under the Endangered Species Act for the herd. These are all American's treasure and need all of our help to ensure their survival. There is also a bill in the House and one in the Senate by the time of our road show we are supporting. Mike Mease, Buffalo Field Campaign’s Co-Founder & Campaign Coordinator and Josh Osher BFC’s Research & Legal Advisor will be on the road for five weeks telling stories, showing video, answering questions and spreading the word to save the herd. Helping spread the message this Summer is our massive (25 feet long, 15 feet high, and 10 feet wide) buffalo inflatable. The balloon and an education table at farmers markets and shows along the West Coast. We have chosen farmers markets because of the buffalo's strong sense of community. Every member of the herd matters and each play an important role in the survival of the collective herd. Farmers' markets bring back the importance of community and local, sustainable living. We would be honored to have the opportunity to talk with people in your community about this tragic turn of events taking place in Montana. If you have more questions about BFC please visit our web site at www.buffalofieldcampaign.org or contact me at 406-646-0070. With the Buffalo, Mike Mease