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Extension > Family > Farm to School > Minnesota Toolkit for School Foodservice > Sourcing Food > Sourcing Bison

Sourcing Bison

Finding Local Food

  • Local Foods Partnership online searchable database through the University of Minnesota Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. It includes a wide range of food products from farmers mostly in northwest, western, and central Minnesota.
  • The Minnesota Grown wholesale database lists Minnesota farmers interested in selling their products to schools. You can search online by product type and by region.
  • The Land Stewardship Project has a Farm Directory for schools looking to purchase sustainably raised foods.
  • Food Alliance Midwest is a national organization that certifies farmers who follow sustainable farming practices. Contact Bob Olson, the director of Food Alliance Midwest, for assistance in finding farmers: 651-265-3682
  • Pride of the Prairie farmers have experience in selling to retail food buyers. For assistance in finding farmers, contact Terry VanDerPol: 320-269-2105.

Regulations on Buying Bison Directly from Farmers

Minnesota state laws require that farmers selling meat to retail grocery stores, restaurants, or foodservices must have the meat processed at a USDA or state "Equal-to" facility. Farmers are not required to have a food handler's license if they are selling plain cuts of meat from their own animals. If they sell a mixed product with additional ingredients such as sausage or hot dogs, they must have a food handler's license.

Fact Sheet for Buying Meat and Poultry

Food Buying Guide Specifications

Reference: Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs; U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service

Food As Purchased (How the Product Can Be Purchased)

Purchase Unit(How You Should Order the Product)

Servings per Purchase Unit
(How Many Servings You Will Get Per Purchase Unit)

Serving Size per Meal Contribution
(For Each Meal Component Category)

Amount Needed to Buy of the Purchase Units for 100 Servings

Additional Information
(AP =
As Purchased)

Bison, Chuck Roast, Fresh or Frozen,  
Without Bone,
Practically Fat
Free

Pound

5
Servings

1 oz. cooked meat

5
Pounds

1 pound AP = .63 pounds cooked lean meat

Bison, Hotdogs
  8 per pound

Pound

8.0
Servings

2 oz. Hotdog

12.5
Pounds

 

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