(Submitted photo/Randi-Marie Adams)

By Randi-Marie Adams

Local ranch gives back to the community and environment

Aug 8, 2022 | 1:18 PM

PRINCE GEORGE — As one of the largest cattle ranches in B.C., the Bar K Ranch prides itself on its organic and hormone-free beef.

Cattle enjoy pastured life on their 8,000-acre ranch in the Lakes District. Bar K was also the first B.C. beef operation registered under the Verified Beef Production program.

Bar K Ranch has been family-owned and operated for several years now.

“We started in the early sixties, the land became assembled and through the seventies the infrastructure started to be created,” explained James Kordyban, assistant general manager, Carrier Lumber Group of Companies. “And then in the eighties, cattle farming started and with the help of the Lend-Lease Pprogram at the time, it blossomed from about 600–800 acres into about 8,600 acres.”

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They also have business ventures in several other operations, including steel fabrication and lumber. They also employ over 350 people across two provinces.

Kordyban said they are a huge supporter of Prince George and surrounding communities. For example, when the B.C. Summer Games board was looking for support, they jumped on board.

“My brother and I actually, as the Kordyban family, we’ve both been part of the B.C. Summer Games before as competitors,” said Kordyban “So the donation was about $10,000 of ground beef, $2,000 of lumber, and about $38,000 of cash.”

Ranch manager, John McEvoy, has been working for the ranch for sixteen months now. He said he takes pride in his job, the cattle, and the environment.

“I think we have a responsibility to turn this land into more valuable, more ecologically sound. What we need to do here in places like this, on ranches, in this type of property, is turn it into a viable yet sustainable and environmental showcase, ” explained McEvoy “We need to be able to show the world that, yes, you can run a ranch. Yes, you can run a business. But it can be done environmentally and very healthy for the planet and for us.”