Can 30 Million Bison Be Wrong?

What is the market value of native grasses and plants? The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan (NPSS) is conducting a market assessment survey of the native plant industry in the Great Plains Region. Chet Neufeld, Executive Director of the NPSS says anyone who produces or uses native plants or seeds in any way can participate. The last survey was done 10 years ago, making updated information crucial.

Funding for the survey has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Saskatchewan, CAAP is delivered by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan.

The survey is available online until September 30, with those who complete it entered into a draw for a cash prize. Once the results have been tabulated, a forum will be held, likely in November, for all interested parties, with the final results published by December 31.

Despite the common use of imported plants and seeds, the Native Plant Industry is vibrant. Members of the NPSS include ranchers, environmental consultants, researchers, and others in the industry. There are a number of seed producers who operate on a small scale, often as a sideline to their farming income, as well as some very large companies. Users of native plants and seeds include government departments, natural resource industries, and ordinary homeowners. “One of the big issues,” Neufeld says, “is changing public perceptions and creating awareness of the benefits of native plants.”

Before settlers took over this area, millions of bison grazed on the native grasses and other plants. By most estimates, the native grasses supported 30 million bison.
That begs the question of why we don’t use more native plants. “Native prairie plants are drought tolerant and cold tolerant,” says Neufeld, “and many of the grass species are highly palatable to cattle and keep their nutritional value longer into the fall for later grazing.”

The survey will provide an important communication tool for participants, show any issues from the previous survey which still need to be addressed, and be of primary importance for producers. “It will point out the strengths and weaknesses in the industry and outline opportunities for improvement,” Neufeld says. “We’ll look at the trends and develop a unified set of goals we can all work towards. This means producers will be in charge of their own destiny.”

Please check the website at www.npss.sk.ca for more information, and to complete the survey.

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