— Our History —
1968 - Where It All Began
After university studies, Roger Ball started Ball Packing (a slaughterhouse) in a small building on the West side of Idaho Falls, Idaho in 1969.
1975 - The Fire of ‘75
In 1975 the growing business was devastated by a second fire that destroyed everything, that was the end of the slaughter packing house business in Idaho Falls. Luckily the Salmon, Idaho plant was started and operational at this time.
1975 - A Brand New Start
In 1977, Roger Ball assigned Brad Zundel, Dale Johnson, and Roger Taylor (left to right) with the responsibility for rebuilding the plant after it burned down and for converting it from a meat packing slaughter plan to a jerky processing plant.
1976 - Going International
In the early days, the primary channel for marketing meat snacks was trade shows. Roger Ball and Roger Taylor at 1974 or 1975 at a Taylor Chip Show in Atlanta, Georgia. The booth captured the flavor of the Old West by using two hay bales, a saddle, and a lariat. This photo was from on of the first shows they ever attended. The product came from a nationally approved plant the Ball’s owned in Salmon, Idaho. National approval meant that the product could be taken out of the state of Idaho and sold nationwide.
1980’s - The First Buffalo
In the early 1980s, Roger began raising bison on the Big Hole Bison Ranch. He finished the bison by feeding the bulls a ration of barely and grass hay.
1980’s - The First Slaughter
The first live bison was slaughtered on the old Fort Hall Indian Reservation with a mobile processing unit. This bull was one of 10 old breeder bulls purchased. Each bull was processed into shredded buffalo jerky.
1990’s - Big Hole Bison Ranch
The ranch house on the Big Hole Bison Ranch was a comfortable place to dream about a future filled with bison roaming the plains of Idaho and Montana.
1990’s - Early Management
This is the management of the Big Hole Bison Ranch in the late 90’s. Carter Bates, Food Service Manager. Roger Ball, Owner. Kelly Hart (kneeling), Ranch Manager. And Roger Taylor, VP of Agronomics. Roger Taylor was president of the American Bison Association in 1990-1991.
Today - Intermountain Bison
Today, Intermountain Bison operates multiple ranches in Idaho with thousands of American Bison. We’ve grown, but our small, family-owned values remain.
Intermountain Bison is a supplier to wholesale and commercial outlets.
Contact us today to learn more about our wholesale program.