By Lyonel Doherty
Cattle ranchers are feeling like ‘David’ as ‘Goliath’ is threatening their industry, according to a member of the Waldo Stockbreeders and Kootenay Livestock Association.
Randy Reay expressed this concern to the Regional District of East Kootenay and asked the board for help during a presentation on June 14.
“Families feel threatened . . . the world seems a mess and is going downhill,” he said, noting that ranching is a shrinking industry as seen by the significant reduction in head of cattle.
Reay said the small industry of livestock producers is competing with the tourism and mining sector. “Talk about Goliath, we are the David.”
The rancher stated the livestock industry cannot exist without Crown rangeland, which he calls “scarcer than hen’s teeth.” He noted that agricultural use of Crown land has many benefits including wildfire prevention since cattle grazing significantly reduces that risk.
Reay expressed another concern over the B.C. government’s support of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Contrary to what some argue, the rancher said the industry cannot allow eight per cent of the population to be given “veto” power to cancel business operations that depend on Crown land for survival. He noted the legislation is being used to give Indigenous Peoples first right of refusal over land decisions, which is “unfair.”
Reay said all three levels of government tend to say how important the ranching industry is but never follow through with their promises.
With that, he asked the RDEK board for its support, starting with the re-establishment of the Agriculture Advisory Committee which it previously dissolved for unknown reasons.
Reay also asked directors to consider a bylaw to require all new subdivisions on Crown land to fence these properties. He said improper fencing is a safety issue for livestock and the public, noting that ranchers don’t want to see more fatal consequences when cattle wander onto highways.
The final “ask” is to assist ranchers in lobbying the provincial government to restore grazing opportunities where wildfire is a threat.
During question period, Reay was asked what was the impact on ranching regionally, relating to the concerns he has been raising.
The rancher said there is a lot of high elevation grazing where moisture levels are significant, adding that 50 per cent of the grazing is lower elevation impacted by dry conditions.
“It’s important that we be good stewards of the land base . . . there is lots of area of forage not being utilized (that should be utilized).”
Reay acknowledged that sometimes people and cattle don’t get along, but work is being done to control that, such as reducing livestock access to lakes.
He said more work has to be done to regularly seed areas after logging is conducted in low elevation blocks. “That means more grass for elk, deer and cattle — it’s a no brainer.”
One RDEK director told Reay they will look at why the agriculture committee was dropped and if there is an opportunity to resurrect it. But he said creating a bylaw dealing with subdivision fencing and covenants “can be problematic.”
Reay said they hope to restructure the committee for more representation to address some land tenures that aren’t being utilized for grazing.
RDEK board chair Rob Gay said they will meet with provincial ministers if a meeting is approved at the Union of BC Municipalities Convention. He noted the previous agriculture committee was dissolved because the board was having difficulty getting members, and it was “frustrating” that the provincial Agricultural Land Commission was “not listening to our input.” Gay said livestock grazing for fire prevention is something the RDEK is looking at under its FireSmart principles.
Long-time cattle rancher Franz Feldmann, chair of the Windermere Valley Rural Range Patrol, has been advocating for more use of livestock as a solution to manage the damaging impacts of wildfire.
