Union County Commissioners Matt Scarfo, right, Paul Anderes, middle, and Jake Seavert, left, listen to a presentation on Feb. 19, 2025, in the Joseph Building Annex Conference Room. The Union County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to submit an application seeking $191,194 in funding from the Oregon Department of Agriculture Wolf Depredation Compensation and Financial Assistance Grant.

UNION COUNTY — Local ranchers dealing with wolf depredations may be getting some financial compensation for their losses later this year.

The Union County Board of Commissioners unanimously voted Wednesday, Feb. 19, to submit an application seeking $191,194 in funding from the Oregon Department of Agriculture Wolf Depredation Compensation and Financial Assistance Grant.

“We have three categories that we apply for,” said Union County Administrative Officer Shelley Burgess. “I believe our application, if you approve its submission, is very justified and we have the required documents.”

If received, a portion of the money will compensate Union County livestock producers for animals that were killed or injured by wolves between Feb. 1, 2024 and Jan. 31, 2025, or missing livestock believed to have been killed by wolves in that same timeframe.

The grant application also includes funding to help ranchers with non-lethal means of protecting their livestock from the predator.

The Union County Wolf Compensation Advisory Committee reviewed applications from local livestock producers for deaths, injuries and missing livestock over the past year, according to Burgess. The committee makes sure the applicant has provided all of the required verification, has worked with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to try and reduce interactions with wolves and reviews the value of lost livestock.

If the county receives the grant, ranchers would get $75,214 in compensation for livestock and working dogs that are missing because there is evidence indicating that the animals were killed by wolves. This funding would go to Bar V Cattle, Big Creek Cattle and ranchers Eric Harlow, Cameron Krebs and Kim Richards.

Collectively, the ranches reported 16 cows, 15 calves, 26 lambs, 21 ewes and one guardian dog that went missing in 2024 because they were believed to be killed by wolves.

To qualify for compensation for livestock that went missing because of suspected wolf attacks, one must be raising their animals in an area with a high number of wolves and be able to show that their losses over the past year were higher than average.

The Wolf Depredation Grant also would provide $15,980 to four Union County producers — Harlow, Christine Larkin, David Ricker and Eric Waite — who had livestock or guardian dogs killed or injured by wolf attacks. These producers lost 17 lambs, seven ewes, one guardian dog, two pregnant cows and one steer.

“So, you can see it was a variety of livestock this year that folks lost,” Burgess said.

Burgess requested the county seek $100,000 to help with nonlethal strategies. Producers in the past have used this funding to hire extra range riders and purchase noise makers, additional fencing and lighting. If Union County receives prevention funding, Burgess said it would be allocated via application.

All three commissioners expressed frustration with the amount of livestock lost and the harm to local producers. Union County Commissioner Matt Scarfo said it feels like the message from the state is it is willing to pay ranchers to get rid of their cows and dogs.

“It’s just feeling more and more like we’re getting paid not to grow corn,” he said.

Commissioner Jake Seavert added it feels like the state just keeps throwing money at the problem. However, he’s hopeful there will be upcoming legislation to address the issue.

Lastly, Commissioner Paul Anderes said a U.S. representative from Wisconsin wants to take a look at the recovery numbers to possibly consider delisting the wolf.