B.C.’s Bar 7 Ranch named 2022 TESA recipient

Penticton, British Columbia – The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is pleased to announce Bar 7 Ranch, located in Rock Creek, British Columbia (B.C.) as the recipient of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) for 2022.

Doug and Erika Fossen, who own and operate Bar 7 Ranch, are recognized for their proactive rangeland management, fire mitigation efforts on government pastures, supporting wildlife biodiversity, and a focus on enhancing soil health. Ranching alongside their three daughters, Adele, Jade, and Reine, a family approach is taken to running their operation and proper stewardship practices is at the heart of what they do. 

Bar 7 Ranch, nestled in the hills of the Kootenay boundary, includes about 2,300 acres of deeded land with grazing leases on about 19,000 acres of Crown Land in the Rock Creek and Midway area. The Fossen Family care for a 350 head commercial cow-calf herd along with 80 replacement heifers, 18 bulls and backgrounds about 100 calves each winter. The award was presented in-person by Duane Thompson, Chair of CCA’s Environment Committee, during the Canadian Beef Industry Conference (CBIC) and Bar 7 Ranch was one of six regional nominees from across Canada vying for the national award. 

“All of our nominees do exceptional stewardship work on their operations and under their specific environments,” said Thompson. “Our judging team found it challenging to select one recipient, but we finally landed on the Bar 7 Ranch and the Fossen family mainly due to the sheer volume and variety of stewardship actions they have taken on over the years. We congratulate all of our great nominees and especially the Fossen family.” 

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, MNP, and our Foundational Partners, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Birds Canada, and the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB), for supporting this year’s TESA program. CCA would also like to recognize the contributions of our judging committee, Karli Reimer and Kristine Tapley with Ducks Unlimited Canada; Norine Ambrose with Cows & Fish; Dean and Catherine Manning, 2021 TESA recipients; and Thompson, who had the difficult task of selecting this year’s recipient. 

About TESA 

The TESA recipient is awarded annually by CCA at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference and has recognized the outstanding stewardship efforts of Canadian beef producers since 1996. 

For further information, contact: Michelle McMullen Communications Manager Canadian Cattle Association 403-451-0931| mcmullenm@cattle.ca