The center will focus on research activities to improve bison herd health and production and the economic viability of both private and tribal bison producers. Plans for the Center of Excellence began in May 2017 when leaders of the National Buffalo Foundation, the National Bison Association's Science and Research Committee and Sinte Gleska University convened with SDSU researchers at the main campus in Brookings, South Dakota. Participants at the session agreed on a number of research priorities, but recognized that a coordinated effort was needed to generate the resources to underwrite those initiatives.