Ted Turner’s U.S. Bison Co. in Merger Deal

U.S. Bison Co., an Atlanta-based buffalo meat company founded by billionaire Ted Turner, said it plans to merge with North American Provisioner by early July to strengthen its marketing. Omaha-based North American Provisioner is the marketing arm of North American Bison Cooperative, the world’s largest supplier of buffalo meat. The merged firm, which would keep the North American Provisioner name, would market Buffalo Nickel, a new brand directed at the food service industry, and U.S. Bison, aimed at food service and grocery retailers in the Southeast. Turner, whose herd of bison numbers 15,000, has been a member of North American Bison Cooperative, based in New Rockford, N.D., since 1996. The cooperative processes animals from members’ herds, which number about 325. Hansell Roddenbery, U.S. Bison’s president and chief executive, would not disclose financial information on the closely held company.