California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is holding a meeting to discuss the Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program (WLCP). However, despite repeated requests from livestock producers directly impacted by wolf depredations, such as Lassen County rancher Richard Egan, CDFW has excluded these producers from attending the meeting.
Egan expressed frustration that the meeting invitation was limited to “special interest activist groups and a few select academic researchers,” with no direct representation from affected ranchers. He emphasized that previous pilot programs failed largely because producer input was not adequately solicited or incorporated, leading to ineffective nonlethal measures and wasted taxpayer funds.
CDFW Deputy Director Chad Dibble responded that the meeting would begin discussions with a subset of representative stakeholders, including organizations like the California Farm Bureau, California Cattlemen’s Association, and academic experts, but not individual producers themselves. Dibble stated that broader public input would be sought after initial development of ideas by this smaller group.
Egan and California Cattlemen’s Association President Rick Roberti criticized the exclusion of directly impacted ranchers, arguing that organizational representatives do not sufficiently represent the diversity and realities of producers experiencing wolf-related losses. Roberti noted that hundreds of affected producers remain unrepresented and that the meeting’s format risks further eroding trust between livestock communities and the department.
Both ranchers called for a more inclusive, transparent, and public process that allows direct participation from those living with the consequences of wolf depredations. They hope CDFW will reconsider its approach to incorporate meaningful input from practitioners on the front lines, rather than relying primarily on activist groups and academics.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in California over wolf management, compensation for livestock losses, and balancing conservation goals with the economic realities faced by ranchers. Many await CDFW’s next steps to see if the perspectives of those most affected by wolves will be given adequate weight in future policy decisions.
