The Cheyenne and Arapaho Bison Project

Regenerating Prairie and Culture

In partnership with Collaborative Earth and Mad Agriculture, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes developed the Cheyenne and Arapaho Bison Project. This visionary project, supported by a USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grant, integrates Indigenous knowledge, regenerative agriculture, and cutting-edge science to create a sustainable, tribally-owned bison product and brand. 

Historically, bison were deliberately removed from tribal lands, depriving Indigenous communities of a vital natural and cultural resource, which left lasting ecological, cultural, and economic impacts. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes have long managed a bison herd for cultural and food purposes, demonstrating their commitment to stewardship. 

Over time, the herd became confined to a single grazing site in Concho, OK, near tribal headquarters, leading to overgrazing, disinvestment in grazing infrastructure at other properties, and increased parasite loads. These challenges have hindered the development of a successful commercial bison operation, despite interest and prior efforts to establish a brand.

Gordon Yellowman Sr., Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal Historian and Cheyenne Chief, speaks to the cultural significance of bison:

“Our relationship to the buffalo is very sacred. It is part of our way of life. The buffalo* is a symbol of prosperity. That animal helps us provide prosperity to our people. Meaning wealth in natural resources not wealth in a monetary sense; wealth in sacredness; wealth in balance in the environment because that buffalo has a special thing that it does. Nature is a chain and it is all connected through the buffalo—the water, the insects, the flowers, the other animals. With the buffalo we are abundant in prosperity and richness in culture.”

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Bison Project aims to address these issues directly. It will rebuild grazing infrastructure on tribal properties, restore the native grasslands that support bison through improved grazing practices, and create economic opportunities for tribal communities through the production of a regenerative bison meat product and brand. By continuing to integrate traditional knowledge with environmental science and market innovation, the project is positioned to become a model for sustainability, holistic management, and ecological restoration that other producers can emulate, and source for technical and financial assistance to build capacity among other producers.

Integrating Traditional Knowledge, Modern Management, and Scientific Research

Indigenous communities have long recognized the role of bison grazing in healthy  grasslands. The Cheyenne and Arapaho Bison Project will combine Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with modern holistic management techniques in an effort to restore grazing resources and develop an efficient production model. Management will focus on matching stocking rates to forage resources while allowing the herd to graze in a way that is better suited to their natural behavior, which differs from cattle. The project will redevelop nearly 20,000 acres as part of the overall operation—one area for raising yearlings, and the other for pasture-based finishing. 

The project also includes scientific collaborators conducting a range of studies to understand the ecological impacts of grazing practices land restoration efforts. Ecologists are surveying the plant community, quantifying root growth, and performing biochemical analyses on thousands of soil samples. These data are paired with real-time flux tower measurements that track the movement of ecologically important gases, including water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. Last, researchers will use GPS ear tags and AI-enabled cameras to track where bison are and what they are doing to understand how behavior and movement patterns explain outcomes. These three systems for monitoring the project come together to quantify how management practices impact biodiversity and vital properties of the soil, such as how much carbon it holds, how effectively it stores water, and how fertile it is. This rigorous understanding of impacts will support development of data-driven standards that will add value to a new brand and ultimately drive replication and expansion of ecologically beneficial practices.

Developing a Holistically Successful Tribal Bison Brand

A major goal of the project is to create a tribally owned bison meat brand that markets products from this herd and other operations that meet rigorous standards of ecological stewardship and animal husbandry. This project will also develop a certification and/or standards program focused on regenerative practices and the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge into management that could help support producers in getting a price premium for their products. The brand will particularly seek to find and build production capacity among other tribal bison producers.

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Bison Project is not just about ecological restoration—it is about creating a scalable financial model that benefits land, animals, and producers. By positioning bison meat as a premium, sustainable food source, the initiative aims to build a sustainable market that supports tribal economies while restoring the balance among humans, animals, and ecosystems. With continued collaboration and innovation, this initiative has the potential to serve as a model for regenerative agriculture and Indigenous-led conservation efforts nationwide, creating a network effect that will encourage other communities and tribes to participate and learn.

The Power of Storytelling and Public Engagement

The Cheyenne and Arapaho Bison Project recognizes that storytelling plays a crucial role in raising awareness and driving support. Through photography, film, first-person accounts, and data visualization, the initiative will highlight the deep cultural connection between Indigenous communities and bison while advocating for policies that promote regenerative agriculture. By engaging consumers, policymakers, and funders, the project seeks to amplify the voices of bison stewards and reinforce the significance of sustainable land management.

Uncertainty of Funding Amid Federal Funding Freeze

On January 25, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order to halt nearly $3 trillion in federal spending. The order was vague and did not name specific grant programs the administration considers to be at odds with their objectives of reducing federal spending on climate and environmental objectives. Consequently, funding was frozen this USDA grant and many other Climate-Smart Commodity Grants. 

Since the order was issued, several legal challenges have been made against it, and a federal judge issued a restraining order saying that contracted funds needed to be released. Despite those actions, payments on many federal contracts remain frozen and the future of various federal grant programs remains uncertain, with cancellation of existing contracts and/or rescission of existing grant programs being distinct possibilities. Included in the affected programs is the USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program that provides a significant portion of funding for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Bison Project.

Despite these uncertainties, the project is moving forward with determination and actively seeking new partners to strengthen its financial foundation and expand its impact. By building alliances with additional organizations, businesses, and funders, the initiative aims to secure long-term stability and continue its mission of regenerative bison restoration and prairie revitalization.

*While the scientific name (bison bison) is used more commonly in the northern plains, the southern plains people commonly use buffalo as a colloquialism- with both names being used interchangeably.

For more information, press inquiries, partnership opportunities, and how to support this work please contact: Tanner Starbard