The Office for Fiscal and Regulatory Analysis (OFRA) has announced that northern cattle ranches could experience private economic losses ranging from $305,000 to $2.47 million between 2025 and 2034 due to the presence of gray wolves. This information was disclosed in a recent press release.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a majority of U.S. farms with beef cattle have small herd sizes, with 55% of farms in 2022 having fewer than 50 head of cattle. This demographic distribution indicates that most ranchers operate at the lower-cost end of the wolf impact spectrum.
The Williams study from 2015 estimates that a ranch with 400 cows may lose approximately 15 head of cattle annually due to wolf depredation. With an average market value of $1,823 per head, total direct losses could exceed $270,000 over a decade. These figures do not include indirect costs such as reduced weight and fertility.
Compensation programs often cover only a portion of wolf-related cattle losses. Research indicates that as few as one in eight wolf kills are confirmed and eligible for compensation. Furthermore, compensation rates differ significantly across states, with benefit multipliers ranging from two times in Washington to seven times in Wyoming.
OFRA operates within the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), a policy organization classified under section 501(c)(3). The office conducts economic impact assessments and regulatory analysis aligned with AFPI's mission to support policies grounded in constitutional governance and free-market principles.
