Another great agility trial A20
SEPTEMBER 3, 2014
$1.30 includes GST
Two Sections, 36 pages
100milefreepress.net
GOING UP
teacher and former student share special bond B1
Ryan Ballantyne photo
Reese Zachanowicz successfully climbed the wall at the recent Squirts Camp at the Lake Of The Trees Bible Camp. Camp director Tom McIntosh says it was a great summer for the camp attendance, with the biggest numbers since 2007.
Fire destroys Interlakes home A11
INSIDE
opinion A8 letters A9 entertainment B3 sports A19 community B1 classifieds A22
The voice of the South Cariboo since 1960 How to reach us: Ph: 250-395-2219 Fax: 250-395-3939 www.100milefreepress.net mail@100milefreepress.net
Abattoir left high and dry Market collapsed after government changes ministries
By Carole Rooney Free Press
A local agriculture operation owner says her business fell through the cracks when the Ministry of Agriculture took over abattoir inspections from the Ministry of Health in 2012. Elisabeth Karlen of XH Buffalo Ranch on South Green Lake says she was encouraged to upgrade the facility and to pursue licensing and permits for beef slaughter. She explains her issue is the whole process happened just months before 100 Mile House was given a mobile red-meat slaughterhouse – effectively cutting off her beef business market. Their buffalo slaughter falls under its provincial B licence for beef and bison now, but to get the permit
to accept live beef for slaughter market, she explains. required about $11,000 in modiKarlen says that encouragement fications for the small, family-run came from the Ministry of Health, operation. which was responsible for slaughter “Our beef business is dead; it is inspections prior to, and during, the nothing. For our buffalo, it’s work- summer of 2012. ing, but not for cattle.” “We appreciate the assistance of Karlen says she fully the Ministry of Health, and understands the convethey gave us the B licence, nience, and even the strong and everything was good at need for a complete local that time.” meat facility that offers proShe explains initially this cessing. encouragement indicated “We don’t have a cutting/ a corral would be needed, wrapping facility. That’s why then later a roof, and finally it’s more complicated to Elisabeth a concrete floor was among Karlen bring beef here.” the requirements to meet Her issue is the “unfairthe regulations for permits ness” of government representatives’ and licencing. encouragement to expand their That fall, however, the responsiSouth Green Lake business when bility for slaughter inspection and months later the rug was effectively licensing at provincially licensed pulled out from under their beef abattoirs was transferred to the
Ministry of Agriculture. Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett visited the XH Buffalo Ranch with Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick on Oct. 30, 2012, shortly after it got its licence and permits squared away. Barnett says nobody likes to put money into something that never happens, but adds she has “no idea” where the Karlens got the idea they would have an exclusive local slaughter market. “It was already up and operating when I went there.” There are “an awful lot” of people in that area who use a slaughter service, Barnett notes. “Maybe people don’t realize they are there because it was always advertised as a bison [business]. I Continued on A3