Read below for highlights from a letter sent to Congressman Cliff Bentz on March 20, 2025 to convey OFB's support for the Pet and Livestock Protection Act. To read the full letter, click on the file below.
Key Highlights:
Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB) supports H.R. 845, the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, introduced by Representatives Lauren Boebert and Tom Tiffany.
The bill seeks to remove gray wolves from the federal Endangered Species List and return management authority to individual states.
As of 2023, Oregon’s gray wolf population is stable at 178 wolves, signaling successful recovery.
Gray wolf management in Oregon is complex:
Wolves east of Highways 395/78/95 are already delisted federally (since 2011).
Wolves west of those highways were delisted in 2021, then relisted in 2022, placing them back under federal control.
Oregon’s Wolf Plan uses a phased approach:
More protections when populations are low.
Flexibility increases as populations grow.
ESA delisting does not automatically mean more wolf removal is allowed.
In 2022, Oregon saw 76 confirmed wolf depredations on livestock, up from 49 in 2021—highlighting growing challenges for ranchers.
OFB emphasizes that state officials are best positioned to manage wolves in a way that balances:
Conservation goals
Rural livelihoods
Local ecological realities
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