North American Elk Breeders
Association
10 Years Old
The North American Elk Breeders Association was founded 10 short years ago
by a small group of elk ranchers that thought it might be a good idea to form an organization to
promote the industry, to lobby for "elk friendly" legislation, and to form a registry for these regal
animals, ELK. The elk industry has come a LONG way since then.
The membership in NAEBA has grown from 35 to over 1600. The number of elk
ranches has grown to over 1400 and the number of elk behind fence has grown to over 35,000.
In 1990, all elk in the United States were regulated by the Department of
Wildlife. Today, elk are livestock and fall under the Department of Agriculture in 22 states.
27 states and provinces have elk breeder associations now.
Other things have not changed much. The dues to belong to NAEBA were $150 in
1990 and remain the same in the year 2000. The cost to register elk was $25 in 1990. Today prices
range from $25 to $35 depending upon the options. The cost totest an elk for purity has risen from $19
to $22 in the past 10 years.
Over 800 people attended the recent convention in Minneapolis. The trade show
featured many items from feed and fence to a life-size bronze elk monument to computer software.
Meetings and seminars occupied the days. Banquets, entertainment, auctions, and the hospitality
suite filled the nights. All who attended returned home with new ideas and renewed vigor and enthusiasm
about this great industry!