The initiative involves establishing a market, and in particular a high-value market, for bison. The course project will involve reviewing the certification landscape for related high value produce, identifying how current players communicate stories regarding such produce and suggesting next steps on the path to building a market for bison in North America and beyond.

Certification Landscape. Through this project the students will engage in understanding the certification landscape for high value produce. This includes of course certifications such as fair trade, organic, as well as others addressing animal welfare, GMO, first nations or tribal specific, etc. This project will aim to assess these certifications on meaningful dimensions such as recognition, volume of product certified, and alignment with goals.

Market players. The second phase is to understand the existing markets (provinces/states and/or cities) where such treatment of food is more prevalent and understand how major players in these markets are presenting the story associated with the food they are serving. Who are the key chefs that may be both willing to experiment with bison as well as influencers and trendsetters for others to follow.

Students will conclude with recommendations for the project, questions and concerns and then suggested next steps.

-Provide and accurate and useable assessment of the food/produce certification market in North America.

-identify key markets (cities likely) of interest

-Offer insight into how powerful stories of food origin are crafted and conveyed successfully

-Identify key change agents (chefs or other)