Levy and Hansell are working on a wolf bill

By Terry Murry on Wednesday, November 17th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

ECHO – Friday is the deadline for lawmakers to submit proposed bills for the coming 2022 session. State Rep. Bobby Levy (R-Echo) says she and Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena) are working on a bill that would more fairly compensate livestock producers for the losses they suffer due to wolves.

“This has been an awful season for producers in Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, and Baker counties with significant loss from wolf depredations, she said.

Levy said that the herd that is preyed on by wolves has been documented to show impacts even if they aren’t directly attacked.

“They will have low birth rates if they’re pregnant, they will abort the fetus, it will be hard for them to get pregnant the next session,” she said. “That’s just a few of the problems with the cows, not to mention the turmoil the producers go through.”