Margaret Byfield, Executive Director of American Stewards of Liberty, expressed concerns about the financial burden wolf predation imposes on ranchers. She emphasized that the compensation provided does not cover the long-term impacts. This statement was made during an interview.
"While the estimated cost of wolf depredations on America's ranchers is shocking, this calculation cannot adequately capture the lost future value of the livestock," said Byfield. "Nor is there anyway to adequately measure the resources it takes to provide 24-hour protection for the herds. This is a property rights issue and a humane issue. Americans' property should be protected, not slaughtered by a radical environmental agenda."
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, predators were responsible for 683,000 cattle and calf losses in 2022, valued at over $156 million. While coyotes accounted for most of these deaths, wolves also contributed to the losses faced by ranchers. The report highlights how predator impacts continue to be a significant cost factor for livestock producers.
In testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources on May 3, 2024, Montana witness Jim Williams noted that livestock producers in areas occupied by wolves suffer substantial economic losses due to depredation. Williams said that these costs are not fully compensated by government programs and include both direct cattle kills and indirect effects on livestock health and productivity.
A study from Colorado State University Extension estimated that the cost of wolf-livestock conflict in the Northern Rocky Mountain states ranges between $11,000 and $42,000 per wolf annually. The analysis considered direct depredation as well as indirect costs such as stress, lower reproduction rates, reduced weight gain, and additional mitigation expenses. This illustrates the extensive financial impact wolves have on ranchers.
Byfield has been serving as Executive Director of American Stewards of Liberty since 1992. She founded Stewards of the Range that year, which later merged with the American Land Foundation to form ASL. Based in Georgetown, Texas, ASL describes itself as a conservative property rights group focused on protecting landowners from federal restrictions and advancing their liberties.
