The WOLF Act of 2025 aims to financially protect livestock producers from losses and increased management costs associated with Mexican gray wolf depredation.
Greg Stanton
Representative
AZ-4
The WOLF Act of 2025 amends the Agricultural Act of 2014 to increase indemnity payments for livestock losses due to Mexican gray wolf attacks to 100% of market value. It also directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide emergency relief to livestock producers negatively affected by Mexican gray wolves, considering factors like herd size, depredation rates, management costs, and birth rates. The Secretary must develop a relief calculation formula and submit annual reports to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees.
WOLF Act Promises Full Payouts for Livestock Lost to Wolves, Launches Emergency Aid Fund
The Wolf and Livestock Fairness Act of 2025, or WOLF Act, directly tackles the financial strain ranchers face from Mexican gray wolf encounters. This legislation amends the Agricultural Act of 2014 to guarantee ranchers receive 100 percent of the market value for livestock confirmed killed by these specific wolves (Section 2). Additionally, it establishes a new emergency relief program aimed at mitigating the broader, less direct impacts wolves can have on livestock operations (Section 3).
Full Price for Predation
The most straightforward change is the bump in indemnity payments. Currently, compensation rates vary. Under Section 2 of the WOLF Act, if a Mexican gray wolf is confirmed to have killed livestock, the producer gets fully reimbursed for that animal's market value, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture. Think of it as an insurance policy update specifically for losses caused by this protected predator – instead of a partial payout, it aims for a full replacement cost.
Beyond the Bite: Emergency Cash for Wolf Woes
Section 3 goes further, recognizing that wolves can impact a ranch beyond direct kills. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to create an emergency relief program using available funds. This isn't just for confirmed kills; it's meant to help producers dealing with things like smaller calf crops potentially due to herd stress, or increased costs for things like extra fencing or guard dogs needed because wolves are nearby. The bill lists factors for eligibility: herd size, local depredation rates, increased management costs, drops in herd birth rates linked to wolves, and the prevention measures a producer is already using.
The Fine Print and the Formula
Here’s where it gets a bit more complex. While the 100% indemnity is clear, the emergency relief calculation isn't set in stone yet. Section 3 gives the Secretary of Agriculture 180 days to develop a formula for this relief, working with agencies like the Farm Service Agency and Fish and Wildlife Service. How factors like 'average annual decrease in herd birth rates due to wolves' will be precisely measured and weighted remains to be seen. This discretion means the actual amount of relief could vary significantly depending on how that formula shakes out. The bill requires annual reports to Congress detailing how much relief is given out and to how many producers, adding a layer of transparency.