We Brought Buffalo Back Into the Conversation at the 2025 National Food Systems Conference
In June 2025, we had the honor of representing the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project (TTBP) at the first national food systems conference since the pandemic. Held in Portland, Oregon and hosted by the Institute for Social and Economic Development Solutions (ISED), the gathering was titled “Resilience and Resistance: Cross-Pollinating Food Movements.”
This landmark conference brought together over 500 food systems leaders—farmers, academics, youth organizers, and nonprofit leaders—to imagine a future rooted in justice, sustainability, and cultural resilience. We were proud to stand alongside them, bringing Indigenous land stewardship and Buffalo restoration into focus.
Our Session: Restoring the Bond Between Land, Buffalo, and Lineal Descendants
As the first Native woman–led Buffalo restoration nonprofit in Texas, we shared how our work connects Lipan Apache descendants and other Indigenous communities to our Buffalo relatives through cultural practices, land rematriation, and a regenerative food system built for the long haul.
Our presentation focused on three powerful goals that guide our mission:
1. Increase Buffalo Herd Size by 50% in 36 Months
We’re working to increase the size and vitality of our Buffalo herd by 50% over 36 months. This effort goes beyond animal conservation—it’s about healing soil, spreading native seeds, and practicing rotational grazing on lands we’ve rematriated.
Today, we steward 227 acres across South Texas: our 77-acre headquarters in Waelder and 150 newly rematriated acres in Floresville.
Our Buffalo help regenerate native grasses, support compost cycles, and reconnect us to the land.
Each adult Buffalo provides up to 400 lbs of nutrient-dense meat, strengthening our food system and cultural ties.
2. Increase Indigenous Access to Buffalo Meat by 75%
We know that food is medicine—and Buffalo meat, when distributed with care and purpose, is a powerful tool for healing.
Our Meat for Mamas program delivers free Buffalo meat to new and expecting Indigenous families in San Antonio.
We became the first EBT-certified online Buffalo vendor in the country, offering nationwide shipping.
In 2025, we served over 400 community members at our Buffalo Harvest celebration.
We continue to show up at powwows, farmers markets, and community gatherings across Texas.
3. Build a Regional Regenerative Agriculture Curriculum
We’re creating a culturally grounded curriculum to support Indigenous-led food sovereignty and sustainable land care. This program blends ancestral knowledge with present-day food system needs.
It includes grazing practices tailored to South Texas ecology and traditional methods for processing, preserving, and preparing Buffalo meat.
Our curriculum connects the dots between food, land, health, and cultural identity.
We offer youth summer camps, pasture walks, and hands-on workshops for all ages to pass this knowledge on.
Why This Moment Mattered
Attending this conference wasn’t just about presenting—it was about claiming space in national conversations that often overlook Indigenous-led solutions. We brought stories from the prairie, from our herd, and from our communities to a room full of changemakers who are reimagining what food justice looks like.
We’re grateful to have stood alongside so many incredible organizers, and we return to Texas with renewed energy for the work ahead.
Join Us in the Movement
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Together, we’re restoring the land, one Buffalo at a time.
