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The Sacred Buffalo: Target of Farm Subsidies
The Buffalo is sacred to the People of many Indian nations, especially to the Lakota People. Wakan Tanka (The Great Mystery) gave the Buffalo to the People as their way of life. Not only was the Buffalo sacrificed for his meat, but every part was used for some purpose. The Buffalo contributes to ceremonies, to the children, to the elders, to all aspects of Lakota life. To All My Relations Mitakuye Oyasin
http://www.canku-luta.org
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Indian peoples go hungry, commercialization of the buffalo and new government
agricultural policies will keep the price of buffalo meat high. The alleged surplus of
buffalo meat has prompted the United States government to subsidize buffalo producers. The
Department of Agriculture will buy $6 million in surplus ground buffalo meat, one fourth
of the industry’s production. Some of this is intended for the Food Distribution
Program on Indian Reservations. However, as the history of farm subsidies shows, large
corporate ranchers - including, no doubt, the biggest buffalo producer Ted Turner - will
be the beneficiaries. Also, history shows that surplus foods passing through the
Department of Agriculture to needy people tend to be of lower quality. See the article on