Oregon county gives approval to wolf compensation fund

ENTERPRISE, Ore. — An Oregon county has approved a compensation fund for ranchers who lose livestock to wolves in the northeastern corner of the state, next to Idaho and Washington.

The Community Alliance Livestock Fund, or CALF, was approved unanimously on Monday by Wallowa County commissioners, who hope it can serve as a statewide model for Oregon, The East Oregonian newspaper in Pendleton reported.

The fund was proposed to commissioners last June by Dennis Sheehy, a rancher who grazes cattle in the heart of the Imnaha wolf pack’s territory in northeastern Oregon.

CALF will begin as a community-based program accepting donations from individuals, businesses and nonprofits, but the long-term goal is to receive state and, or, federal funding, either through U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife or possibly through the federal farm bill, said Rod Childers, wolf committee chairman for the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association.

Without a statewide plan, Oregon cannot receive federal funds for compensation — as Idaho and Montana do, Childers said.

The 2011 grazing season will be run as a pilot, he said. Compensation won’t be given out until after the 2012 season. However, Defenders of Wildlife will be compensating on cattle losses confirmed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife to be caused by wolves through Sept. 30.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Hayward said there may be problems with a compensation program based on the honor system.

Childers agreed and said, “We are looking at ways to handle verification. It is the biggest challenge.”

Wallowa Stockgrowers President Todd Nash said he and others have discussed different ways to make verification more uniform. One idea was to pay the brand inspector $2 more per head of cattle to help with counts, but that just adds more cost.