Tribes push to bring buffalo into school lunches

Tribal leaders, educators and food sovereignty advocates are working to make buffalo a regular part of school meals, according to NPR. At the first Buffalo to School conference in South Dakota this summer, participants gathered for butchering demonstrations and discussions on how to overcome barriers such as processing costs and access to animals.

Lisa Iron Cloud, an Oglala Lakota woman who has taught buffalo butchering for nearly a decade, said getting traditional foods into schools is central to improving Native children’s health. “I’m trying to bring back healthier food for our kids,” said Krystal Northcott, food services director for Fort Washakie Schools in Wyoming.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently updated rules so schools can be reimbursed for serving buffalo and other Indigenous foods, creating opportunities to buy meat directly from Native producers.