President’s Message

Did you know that Horse Council BC is one of nine founding members of the BC Agriculture Council? One of Horse Council BC’s board members also sits on the Board of the BC Agriculture Council. How is this important?

Since its inception in 1997, BCAC advocates for BC farm and ranch families and owners at all levels of government where they champion issues affecting farmers, and advance the interests of BC agriculture.

Members cover a large variety of agricultural interests from dairy through fruit growers, bee farmers and organic farming, and are part of a diverse group who wish to protect a sustainable industry. The members of this organization understand better than most the need for eco-friendly, sustainable land use. Once a year, in the fall, the BC Agricultural Council has its “Ag Day at the Legislature” – a day where delegates meet with Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Senior Bureaucrats to discuss pressing issues for the Agricultural Sector, and upcoming proposed legislation. Horse Council BC is an active participant each year.

It was my privilege recently to attend a meeting, with the Agricultural Council BC Board of Directors, with the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, Marie-Claude Bibeau. To meet with the senior cabinet minister and some of her staff for an hour amongst that small group, afforded us an opportunity that we as Horse Council alone would not have been able to bring about. Most important as federal legislation can and does affect the industry. There is a constant need for more land for housing and industry and having a strong and well informed minister representing agriculture is critical. This was not the first meeting with Minister Bibeau, who actively listened to concerns and asked probing questions.

On a provincial level, Horse Council BC interacts frequently with the BC Government, and has built positive relationships with a number of provincial ministers. With our Emergency Response fund, and active involvement whenever an emergency arises, be it floods or fires, or more specific equine health emergencies, I would like to thank HCBC’s staff for their ongoing work to help ensure that we are as prepared as possible for whatever comes our way.

At a recent Board meeting, the invited guest speakers were from a not for profit, Animal Health Emergency Management Project (AHEM). Their original mandate was to prepare the BC Equine Sector for disease-related sector wide emergencies, but they have expanded their mandate to include natural disasters. The short version of their message is: prepare, prepare, prepare. Discuss potential situations, and what you would do on your farm (whatever size) and the barn where you board, if applicable, under what circumstances. A few examples: where could you secure water during a water shortage, to where and how would and could you move your horses if it became necessary.

The emergency operations in your regional district or municipality are an important link in the handling of any emergency. Each Regional district and municipality have their own emergency operations plan. Premises ID can play an important part. Premises ID was introduced by the Provincial Government last year, and became mandatory July 1, 2022. It applies to any property that can or does house animals, including boarding and training stables. Horses, mules and donkeys are included in the list of animals that need to be registered.

Premises ID is one of the three pillars of Canada’s national Livestock traceability system.

It is also used by emergency operations in regional districts and municipalities to know where livestock are, in an emergency. I have heard of cases where property owners were not allowed back onto their properties to feed and water their animals without their Premises ID numbers in fire situations. It is easy to sign up online and there is no cost. If you have not already done so, I would strongly suggest doing so.

On a more upbeat note, The March Madness Education events were a great success, with more members signing up than ever before. Stay tuned for more member-oriented events!

As we all get back to more active riding in our beautiful province, please practice kindness and respect for all – even our “friends” the mountain bikers! I have found that telling them that our horses don’t necessarily hear them, and might therefore mistake them for a mountain lion looking for a meal, tends to generate a laugh, and makes it much easier to ask them to speak, or sing, as they come up behind us!

Happy riding, driving, vaulting, archery and whatever endeavours you and your horses undertake this spring and summer. If you are competing, best of luck. Most of all, stay safe and enjoy.

Karen Swantje, HCBC President