The mouth-watering smell of barbecued beef was in the air outside the Parliament Buildings as the B.C. government and industry celebrated B.C. Beef Day.

“This is the perfect setting to get together with our industry partners and look at ways we can continue to grow ranching and beef processing in our province,” said Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture. “The smiling faces and sounds of satisfaction are legendary on B.C. Beef Day, as hundreds of people enjoy this incredible product. Thank you to all the people working in our beef sector for making this day such a success.”

The Province has proclaimed May 14, 2019, as B.C. Beef Day. The annual event showcases British Columbia’s tasty, high-quality beef while recognizing the partnership between government and the BC Cattlemen’s Association, BC Association of Cattle Feeders, BC Breeder and Feeder Association, BC Association of Abattoirs and the BC Dairy Association.

The beef, supplied by the BC Association of Cattle Feeders, was from Fraser Valley’s Meadow Valley Meats and grilled to perfection by Brian Misko, barbecue pitmaster, and his team from House of Q. The B.C. Beef Day menu included B.C. sirloin tri-tip slices and beef on a bun.

“Today, ranchers from across B.C. are gathering in Victoria to share our great story about raising beef in the diverse ecosystems of British Columbia,” said Larry Garrett, president, BC Cattlemen’s Association. “Through the careful stewardship of land and environment, ranchers are committed to raising beef that exceeds the expectations of our fellow British Columbians, and we encourage you all to enjoy beef on the barbecue.”

The B.C. beef industry is primarily cow-calf operations, with close to 80% of beef cows located on farms in three regions of the province: Thompson-Okanagan, Peace River, Cariboo.

In 2017, the sector marketed over 81,600 tonnes of beef, valued at nearly $236 million in farm cash receipts.

Learn More:

BC Cattlemen's Association: http://www.cattlemen.bc.ca/

BC Association of Cattle Feeders: www.bcacf.ca

BC Breeder and Feeder Association: http://www.bcbfa.ca/

BC Association of Abattoirs: http://bcmeats.ca

BC Dairy Association: https://bcdairy.ca/