Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC), and Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association (WCA) urged the Senate to pass S. 1306 and thanked Senator Ron Johnson R-Wis., for elevating this critical issue on behalf of livestock producers. The legislation would reissue the 2020 rule delisting gray wolves in the lower 48 states returning management authority to the states and is the Senate companion to the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, which passed the House in late 2025 with bipartisan support. Earlier today, Sen. Johnson took to the Senate floor and sought unanimous consent to pass the legislation. While the request was met with an objection, NCBA and PLC remain committed to advancing this commonsense measure and urge Senate leadership to give the bill the consideration it deserves.
“Gray wolves are no longer hovering on the brink of extinction and represent a successful recovery,” said Skye Krebs, NCBA vice president and Oregon rancher. “Populations are thriving, but Endangered Species Act protections limit management and allow these apex predators to negatively impact rural communities and family-owned cattle operations that are vital to rural economies. This is not just a cattle industry issue, it’s a public safety, economic, and governance concern. The last three U.S. presidents have recognized wolf recovery. Cattle producers and rural communities across the country are urging Congress to return gray wolf management to the states.”
“The science has been clear across both Democrat and Republican administrations: the gray wolf has recovered. Animal activist groups have weaponized the Endangered Species Act in court to keep wolves listed, leaving rural communities to manage abundant apex predator populations with limited tools. Ranchers and rural communities across the West face economic and emotional strain as wolf populations that prey on livestock and pets. We strongly urge the Senate to pass this critical legislation and restore state management authority,” said Tim Canterbury, PLC president and Colorado rancher.
“For too long, gray wolves have run unchecked across the Upper Great Lakes. Since 2021, Wisconsin has confirmed more than 161 cattle and calf depredations and paid more than 200 missing calf claims. Chronic stress from wolf pressure adds an unnecessary burden to livestock and the families who raise them. More than $650,000 has been paid in damage claims in Wisconsin since 2021, but compensation never makes producers whole. We need practical, state-led management that protects livestock, support rural communities, and restores balance for livestock producers. It’s time to remove Endangered Species Act protections and return management to states,” said Jared Geiser, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association president and Wisconsin cattle producer.
