Ranching

The Cowboy is a powerful symbol of the west – herding cattle across back country.  Raising cattle can be an important part of the economy in many areas of the province.

Ranching is raising beef cattle by allowing them to feed on wild rangelands during the non-winter months.  There are 265,000 beef cows in British Columbia – about 5% of Canada’s beef production.  They graze on about 10 million hectares of land, 85% of which is “crown land”, owned by the province. 

However, if ranching not done carefully cattle can:

·         overgraze the land, removing the vegetation and causing erosion. 

·         contaminate water sources if their waste and movements aren’t managed.

·         drive out wildlife species that use the same habitat.

In addition, attempts to “improve” rangelands for ranching can result in land being cleared, herbicides sprayed and other modifications to the natural environment that can have a negative impact. 

Ranching on Public Lands

Because 8.5 million hectares of range land used in B.C. is publicly owned, there are a number of laws and planning requirements that determine who gets to graze their cattle where, and how. 

The Ministry of Forests grants licences or permits to allow grazing on public land under the Range Act. 

The rules governing how grazing should occur, however, are set under the Forest Practices Code.  The Forest Practices Code requires a rancher on public land to prepare a Range Use Plan or Range Stewardship Plan.

Range Issues Generally

Ranching, whether on private or public land, does raise legal issues.  Some key legislation related to both public and private land include:

·         The Agricultural Waste Regulation of the Waste Management Act creates legal requirements for the management of animal waste;

·         The Pesticide Control Act applies to all herbicide or other pesticide use intended to enhance the livestock or their food.  However, pesticide use on public land is more likely to require planning and/or more stringent steps under the Act. 

Related Guide Pages:

·         Agriculture

·         Forest and Range Practices Act

·         Range Use Plans

For More Information about Ranching:

·         Ranching page of the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

·         Why Keep Livestock out of Watercourses? – a publication of BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. 

·         BC Cattleman’s Association – A website of the ranching industry.

·         The Troubles with Livestock Grazing – A summary of the environmental issues surrounding ranching from a major American campaign called the National Public Lands Grazing Campaign.  Note:  This is a U.S. site and any references to the law or legal solutions do not apply in B.C.