Friday May 12, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
BC Beef Day comes around once a year outside the Parliament Buildings with government, industry representatives and the public celebrating a resilient B.C. beef sector and its major contributions to British Columbia’s food security.
The B.C. government has proclaimed May 10, 2023, as B.C. Beef Day. The annual celebration recognizes the partnership between government and the BC Cattlemen’s Association, BC Meats, BC Association of Cattle Feeders, BC Breeder and Feeder Association, BC Dairy Association, and Ownership Identification Inc.
Over 500 people had lunch there, waiting in a long lineup on one of the first hot spring days of 2023.
Ranching sector and food security:
“Our government fully recognizes the importance of our B.C. ranching sector and how it is a key economic driver in the province,” said Pam Alexis, Minister of Agriculture and Food. She noted how beef is a key part of food security in BC.
“When consumers buy locally grown, raised, harvested and processed beef, they are supporting farmers and ranchers that live in their own communities and help strengthen our provincial food system and economy,” said Alexis.
The current Minister also acknowledged the work of Lana Popham as the previous Agriculture and Food Minister for five years in the Horgan NDP government. She acknowledged representatives of the cattle industry who travelled to the May 10 event from all over BC.
Beef to broad market:
B.C. ranchers supply beef to local, national and international markets. The B.C. beef industry is primarily cow-calf operations, and more than 80% of its cattle are farmed in four regions of the province: Lower Mainland-Southwest, Thompson-Okanagan, Peace River and Cariboo. In 2022, the sector marketed more than 90,500 tonnes of beef, valued at $269 million.
This year’s B.C. Beef Day menu includes tri tip for the sandwiches and flat iron for the beef bites. “BBQ Brian” Misko, barbecue pit master, and his House of Q team are back grilling. The beef is from Rangeland Meats in Kamloops, owned and operated by Devick Ranch.
Hard-working ranchers and farmers:
“The rural ridings that really have cattle” were acknowledged by BC United MLA Ian Paton (Delta South) who is the opposition critic for Agriculture. He acknowledged cow calf operators and cattle feeders who attended the gathering.
“These are resilient people. The folks that you see today have dealt with fires and floods and mudslides,” Paton said.
“These hardworking ranchers and farmers keep bouncing back every year so we can put good food on our tables,” said Paton. He pointed out that these producers are being “hit hard” with the costs of fertilizer, fuel, and feed.
He noted how the price of cattle is on the upswing.
BC Cattlemen’s Association:
“We are happy to be back in Victoria celebrating B.C. Beef Day, a day we look forward to every year,” said Brian Thomas, president, BC Cattlemen’s Association.
“Today, we celebrate the beef industry by showcasing high-quality, locally grown beef raised on the forage and crops that nature supplies right here at home. We are privileged to steward the lands, water and environment in a responsible and sustainable way providing food for British Columbians,” said Thomas.
The BC Cattlemen’s president presented a cowboy hat to Minister Alexis.
===== LINKS:
- BC Cattlemen’s Association: https://www.cattlemen.bc.ca/
- BC Meats: https://bcmeats.ca/
- BC Breeder and Feeder Association: http://bcbfa.ca/
- BC Dairy Association: https://bcdairy.ca/
- Ownership Identification Inc: https://www.ownershipid.ca/
- Rangeland Meats: https://rangelandmeats.ca/
- House of Q: https://houseofq.com/
Summer break:
The last day of the session was yesterday May 11. The Fall session is scheduled to start October 3.
During summer 2023 the office area for the BC Legislative Press Gallery will be renovated.
===== RELATED:
By-Election News Archive (Island Social Trends)
Pie-throwing fundraiser during BC Beef Day (May 11, 2023)
Press gallery renovation in summer 2023 (May 11, 2023)
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends is a professional news portal at islandsocialtrends.ca . Fully online as a daily news portal since mid-2020, Island Social Trends emerged from previous print publications in the west shore: MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010), Sooke Voice News (2011-2013), and West Shore Voice News (2014-2020).
Since 2008, journalist and editor Mary P Brooke has taken a socioeconomic lens to reporting and analyzing the news of the west shore and south Vancouver Island region, including BC and national news impacts. [See Island Social Trends Politics Archive]. As of 2023 she reports with the BC Legislative Press Gallery.
Mary P Brooke has also focused on news of School District 62 at the board level since 2014 [see Island Social Trends Education archive]. During 2020 and 2021 she reported daily on COVID to build the ongoing COVID pandemic archive. Starting 2022 she has been building a Food Security news archive.