Union County set to receive largest sum ever in wolf compensation grants

UNION COUNTY — Union County says it expects to receive the largest sum it’s ever received to alleviate ranchers whose livestock have been killed by wolves.

Commissioner Donna Beverage, who’s not running for reelection due to term limits, tells Elkhorn Media Group that the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) has approved a grant request to continue to compensate ranchers whose livelihoods are threatened by livestock losses attributed to wolf predation, with a substantial increase in funding allocation compared to previous years.

Beverage says she cannot say the final dollar amount until the commission votes on it at its meeting on Wednesday, May 1.

Beverage says the grant will support compensation for missing livestock in areas with documented wolf presence, and it will also facilitate investments in non-lethal deterrents and prevention techniques such as fladry, loud noises, and enhanced fencing to mitigate conflicts between wolves and livestock.

With the new funding, the compensation for missing livestock through the ODA’s Wolf Compensation Grants is contingent upon specific criteria. It applies to areas designated as high wolf areas and requires evidence of increased livestock losses attributed to wolf predation. Compensation is calculated based on the difference between historical livestock losses before and after the presence of wolves, excluding losses unrelated to wolf predation, such as natural causes or accidents.

“It’s a big deal”, says Beverage. “Ranchers will still  have a lot of requirements, but it eases the burden when their livestock goes missing.”

The Union County Commission will meet and vote on the grant on Wednesday, May 1. 

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Elkhorn Media Group