Fencing problems along Highway 24 in the Cariboo are causing ranchers to consider selling, said the Cariboo Regional District director for the Interlakes electoral area.
“We are in a real pickle,” said Area L director Eric De Vries. “Three of the cattlemen in my district are desperate and thinking of selling. They are worried sick and fed up.”
De Vries shared his concerns during a committee of the whole meeting Thursday, March 21 where the CRD invited provincial ministry representatives to appear as a delegation.
He asked who is responsible for the fencing adjacent to the highway that was installed when the highway was constructed.
“The private landowner is expected to keep up the maintenance, but nobody does that today,” De Vries said, noting agreements made with the BC Cattlemen’s Association and the ministry do not allow applications for fence-lines bordering private properties.
Calling in by phone from Victoria, Lauren Yawney, acting director, legislation, planning and policy with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, outlined the Livestock Act.
While landowners who do not wish to have livestock on their land should fence their property, the livestock act does not compel landowners to put up fencing, she explained.
Michelle Brewer, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, also appearing by phone, said there are 1,000 kilometres of fencing along schedule one and two highways in B.C. as well as some busy side roads.
Fence maintenance is the livestock owner’s responsibility, she said and promised to follow up with De Vries on specific concerns in his area.
Brewer said between 2018 and 2023, MoTI partnered with the BC Cattlemen’s Association and spent $1 million per year to replace existing fencing along ministry highways and busy side roads.
Producers submitted applications to BC Cattlemen’s and the fence lines in question had to be part of a fully-contained unit to be approved.
Slated to expire in 2023, the program was extended until 2025 because all of the projects were not completed, she said.
Qualified fencing contractors do the work and the BC Cattlemen’s Association supports the program by making sure the fences are inspected.
Alex Kulchar, board member of the BC Cattlemen’s Association representing the Vanderhoof zone, was also on the call.
“I really do think at the regional district level we can work on some solutions,” he said, adding he is part of a committee looking at fencing.
Area B (Bouchie Lake, West Quesnel) director Barb Bachmeier asked when livestock are allowed to be out on Crown range.
Responding Chris Armes, senior rangeland policy specialist with the Ministry of Forests, told her it varies.
It can be when the range is ready and the plants are ready to be grazed, he explained.
“Around here it’s between May 15 and June 1. That doesn’t mean they will turn out on June 1, it could be June 15.”
Return of the herds depend on each range use management plan, such as how many animal unit months (AUMs) the plan is approved for.
It could be anytime between Sept. 15 and Oct. 31 in the Central Cariboo or Dec. 31 out in the Big Creek area, Armes said.
“It depends on what the range is like.”
Bachmeier asked what happens if someone has cattle on Crown range land when they shouldn’t?
Armes said Natural Resource Officers will go out and investigate and determine if it is a ticket-able offence.
Normally warnings are issued first.
Natural resource offences can be reported to the RAPP (Report all Poachers and Polluters) line, he added.
Area C (Barlow Creek, Bowron Lake, Barkerville) director John Massier said he sees fences along Highway 26 to Barkerville regularly that are not maintained.
“I had to call in because a calf moose was caught in a fence with broken wires and it had to be put down,” he said.
Several months later the fence, which was near Cottonwood along the Barkerville Highway, had not been fixed, Massier added.
Director Massier said he would like to see the board have a presentation about the Range Act to understand it more as well.
Armes said he would be happy to return to make a presentation to the board.
READ MORE: Fenced in or out? CRD wants to inform newcomers of range responsibilities
READ MORE: OUR HOMETOWN: Chris Armes of Williams Lake named 2020 Agrologist of the Year
Don’t miss out on reading the latest local, provincial and national news offered at the Williams Lake Tribune. Sign up for our free newsletter here.
