Wolves in California will be a topic discussed in a stakeholder meeting held by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Next Thursday the department will invite producers, ag commissioners, cattlemen association, and more to Redding in hopes to develop a robust Wolf-Livestock Loss Compensation plan.
Just a little over a year ago an interim program was launched to pay producers who experienced confirmed wolf kills on their livestock. The program compensated for animals lost dated back to September of 2021, that’s as far back as allowed despite wolves returning to Northern California in 2015 with the Shasta Pack.
The CDFW says the purpose of the meeting is to receive and provide comments from the public and invited stakeholders about the program’s successes and failures. Updates on the interim compensation grants program and a presentation on the pay for presence module as well as updates on CDFW’s wolf program activities will be features of the meeting. Chris Gallagher, Lassen County Supervisor, and Board Chairman says while he may not be in attendance due to a conflicting meeting, he appreciates that the department is bringing stakeholders together to work on the program. At the initial start of the program, many who had been impacted were ignored, according to Gallagher, including the Lassen County board, which remains one of the most affected counties when it comes to wolves.
The meeting will be held in person with no option for virtual attendance Thursday, November 17th from 1 to 4 pm at the Redding Public Library.
