Caledonia Argus

Buffalo farmer making headway with Cuban market

Posted: 2/24/04

By David Heiller
Argus News Editor

When you talk farming with Steve Fruechte, you are going to get some politics thrown in.

Perhaps more than most farmers, his buffalo operation is linked to policies of the U.S. government.

Thatís because Fruechte, who owns about 200 head of buffalo on a Caledonia farm, wants to sell more of his animals to Cuba, and there are many restrictions by our government on travelling and trading with that country.

The latest twist is showing itself right now. Fruechte visited Cuba in December to make a sales pitch for buffalo, after selling five buffalo heifers to Cuba earlier in the year.

After four weeks of federal quarantine, the animals were trucked to Biloxi, Mississippi, then taken by barge to Havana.

He met Cuban President Fidel Castro, and set up a return visit with some Cuban livestock experts to select a second group of buffalo. He was expecting them earlier this month. And hereís where some of that politics comes in. ìOur government wonít give them visas to come up,î he said on February 19 at his dining room table.

Fruechte didnít say it in anger. In fact, heís optimistic, because he has a contract for selling more animals. ìWith a little luck, weíll be able to keep shipping more and more animals down,î he said.

Itís just a frustrating fact of life for him, and one that he doesnít feel makes sense.

He thinks Cuba offers a great chance for American businesses looking to export products like medicine, food, cars, and machinery.

When he visited two months ago, he got an unbiased view of the country. He could travel there unrestricted. It was clean, and the people were friendly. ìThey donít have any animosity towards Americans at all,î he said.

So despite the current roadblocks, Fruechte will keep working on exporting buffalo there. ìEventually our government will open up trade with Cuba,î he explained. ìThereís a lot of potential down there.î

Cuba is hurting, he said, because when the Soviet Union collapsed, it lost its biggest market for coffee, sugar, cement, nickel, and tobacco. A new relationship with its closest neighbor, the U.S., makes sense to Fruechte.

But why buffalo in Cuba?

ìTheyíll finish on grass better than a beef animal will,î he said. ìIn Cuba, grass is very pervasive, and grain is scarce.î

The animal converts grass to meat better, and is very adaptable, especially to Cubaís heat and humidity, he said. Farmers can feed three buffalos on what would feed two Herefords, Fruechte said.

So he thinks itís time to lift trade sanctions. In 2001 the U.S. government did ease the embargo, which had been in place since Castro took over in 1959. Cash-only sales of food, livestock, and medicine are now permitted.

ìCoke and Pepsi are down there,î he said. ìTheyíre just bottled in Guatamala. Basically itís hurting American agriculture a lot.î

Bison Hills Buffalo, as Fruechte's business is known, supplies buffalo meat to some local stores and restaurants. They also sell from their home.

Their herd has grown from 10 animals in 1993 to about 200 today. ìIt started out as a hobby,î Fruechte said. He also raises grain on about 550 acres of cropland at his farm, which he bought in 1985.

The animals are butchered at Ledebuhr Meat Processing in Winona. Itís the closest facility that can handle buffalo, which weigh about 1,00 pounds when they reach slaughter age of 22 to 26 months.

Buffalo are twice as strong and have 10 times the endurance of beef cattle, Fruechte said. They donít need as much veterinary care, they forage better, and donít need shelter, he said ìThey just seem to be able to take care of themselves better.î

And they present some challenges, like heavier fencing, stronger corrals, and a handling system for round up and tagging.

ìPatience,î herdsman Robert Krzebietke said.

ìYou can herd a buffalo anywhere it wants to go,î Fruechte said with a similar smile.

After all, buffalo can jump a six-foot-high fence, run 45 miles an hour, and do a 180-degree turn on a dead run.

Better tell that to the Cubans.

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