WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump has ordered federal agencies to review the status of gray wolves and Mexican wolves, potentially changing predator-management rules affecting cattle producers across parts of the West.
Within 90 days, the Interior Department must determine whether either population meets Endangered Species Act criteria for delisting or downlisting. If those criteria are met, the department must begin that process.
The order also directs Interior and USDA to review compensation standards for livestock losses and consider easing authorization for lethal removal when necessary to protect cattle and other livestock.
Cattle groups generally welcomed the review, but the United States Cattlemen’s Association cautions that previous wolf delisting efforts have faced litigation and injunctions, leaving producers vulnerable to policy reversals.
For ranchers in wolf country, any near-term effect will depend on agency findings and subsequent legal steps. Compensation rules and state authority could also change if federal protections are reduced.
Farm-Level Takeaway: The wolf review could eventually give ranchers more predator-management flexibility, but federal findings and legal challenges will determine what changes.