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BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) The slaughter this winter of almost one-third of Yellowstone National Park's wild bison will benefit food banks across Montana.

The Montana Food Bank Network, in Missoula, recently bought 15,000 pounds of meat from the slaughtered bison, ground and and packaged in 2-pound portions.

James Dodge is a food resource developer for the group. He says the group paid 42 cents a pound, and will tack on another 4 cents a pound to distribute the meat to 189 agencies throughout the state.

The meat should be available in May.

Dodge says the bison meat comes at an opportune time because food banks were hit hard in February by the federal recall of 143 million pounds of beef from a California processing plant. He says Montanans also are struggling with higher gas and grocery prices.

Information from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 04-25-08 0846CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list