Local producers are concerned about the ‘mass’ amount of regulations they are facing, said Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association president Cordy Cox.
“It’s getting to the point where there is getting to be a lot of burden for producers to pay — the profit margin in ranching is very small,” Cox said at the Pioneer Complex Friday, Feb. 7 where the association’s AGM was underway.
“There is concern about what’s coming down the pike and they don’t know how they are going to pack it all.”
The new carbon tax is also tough, she added.
Describing it has his ‘rant’, 150 Mile rancher Roger Patenaude, who is a BC Cattlemen’s Association director, said the regulations around things such as water, dams, livestock water, burning and livestock transportation are a burden for producers.
“We keep getting this stuff shoved down our throats and no way to recoup our costs and I think it is huge,” Patenaude said. “The forest industry they get it back in stumpage. Their cost of production is calculated in.”
Patenaude said the concerns need to be raised with government.
“We need to tell them that we cannot live with the extra costs.”
Director Grant Huffman, reporting for the BC Cattlemen’s Association Land Stewardship and Indigenous Affairs committee, said some producers are concerned about the impacts that treaties and title lands will have in the future.
“We are being told that provincial and federal government are at the treaty tables to represent our interests,” Huffman said. ” I don’t think the plan is to have us there, but I think we should push for transparency. I do think there is a place for us.”
Cox said there is also lots of positivity about the beef market moving forward and seeing more than 90 people show up for the meeting was a nice surprise.
“The amount of people that showed up was more than actually signed up. That’s very positive, especially after the year we’ve had. It’s been tough with all the regulations coming down and flooding last summer.”
Read more: Big Creek meeting attracts 50 residents impacted by recent flooding
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