Senate Considers Fund for Wolf Kill Payments

Ranchers in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana who lose sheep or cattle to wolves may soon have a federal fund to turn to for reimbursement.

Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch have helped establish a $1 million account to repay ranchers for any losses tied to wolf kills. Language creating the account was recently approved by a Senate committee, but must still be approved by the full U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ranchers had previously been compensated by the Defenders of Wildlife for wolf losses. But that funding ended when wolves in Idaho and Montana were removed from the Endangered Species List (ESL) earlier this year. Gray wolves remain on the ESL in Wyoming.

Crapo says with state officials now in charge of wolf management, it is important to ensure that ranchers have a place to turn for losses.

Reprinted from CBS4 Denver

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