Ranching Today in BC

Unlike logging and mining, ranching is based on a completely renewable resource and therefore contributes to the sustainability of communities. Ranching is one of the only ways that our society produces food in intact ecosystems.   

Grass, the green gold of the Cariboo, continues to sustain the industry that is one of the province’s economic mainstays.  Today in British Columbia, there are a total of 5,011 ranching operations that have at least $2,500 in beef sales annually.  The total economic contribution by the beef industry to BC is $1.4 billion dollars and revenue from the sale of cattle and calves in BC equals $355 million.   For a breakdown of economic contributions by region in BC please visit www.cattlemen.bc.ca.

Ninety-five percent of BC’s grasslands are grazed by cattle.  In the Thompson, Nicola and Cariboo areas many rangeland-based ranches graze 300 to 800 head of cattle.  Douglas Lake Ranch in the Nicola has a cattle herd numbering roughly 20,000.  The Gang Ranch in the Cariboo has been in operation since 1863.

These ranches are extensive and often include large tracts of privately owned grasslands; very large areas of Crown range may also be included in their operations.   Good cowboys, fast horses, and skillful stock dogs are everyday sights, and they are critical tools for the proper management of the rangelands.

But, ranching has changed over the years.  Computer marketing, year-round sales and huge cattle liners have replaced the brutal once-a-year cattle drives and machines have replaced work horses.  Still, the success of cattlemen depends not only on how well they manage and market their herds, but on how well they maintain the land that sustain those herds.  Ranchers are conservationists in the true sense of the word – their bread, butter and beef is entirely reliant on an environmentally sustainable operations.

Ranching is a bittersweet way to earn a living.  Men and women stick to it because they treasure the freedom and independence, and work that is defined by the natural cycles of nature.  But the other side of ranching is not so ideal.  Fickle markets, ever-increasing production costs and sinking profits have worn many ranchers down and out of business.  Even nature regularly challenges them through drought, killer winters, insect plagues and noxious weeds.

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To learn about the history or future of ranching in BC, click on the links below.