Ponca Tribe secures $4.8 million to build buffalo processing plant in Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska announced Friday that it has received a $4.8 million federal grant to build a buffalo processing facility.

The United States Department of Agriculture provided this grant to enable the tribe to harvest, process, manufacture and store buffalo meat.

The money will be used to help build a facility in Niobrara, which is the traditional homeland of the Ponca tribe.

Work is expected to begin this fall and be completed in spring 2025.

The facility will create several jobs for tribal members in the rural community and help feed more than 5,800 members nationwide.

Tribal officials said the facility would be used to sustainably harvest and distribute meat to its members in accordance with sacred traditions.

“We greatly appreciate the USDA grant to support the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s continued work to sustainably harvest our herd’s buffalo to feed our tribal members across the county,” said Chairwoman Candace Schmidt. “This grant will help our tribe advance our mission of providing services, support and nutrition to our tribal members, whether or not they live in our tribal service area.”