Bentz Discusses Dangers, Costs Of Wolves

Eastern Oregon’s Cliff Bentz took to the House Floor Friday asking lawmakers to pass the Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845), which would delist the gray wolf, allowing states to individually manage those populations.  Bentz said failed management has been one of the biggest disappointments for ranchers across Oregon.

"You can imagine the feelings of the rancher when he or she finds livestock torn apart and dying," Bentz noted.  "You can try to imagine the anger that they feel knowing that they are legally prevented from stopping the wolf that caused this pain and horror to their cattle and calves from doing this again. And again. And again.”

Depredations Are Emotional Draining And Expensive

As he spoke from the floor, Bentz showed several photos of calves that had been attacked and killed by wolves.

Outside of the emotional toll wolves take on ranchers, he said there’s the economic impact.  Bentz said the annual cost of the wolf to cattle businesses, according to the most recent data, was estimated to be $128 million.

“This number is far higher now that cattle prices are higher," Bentz said.  "Many think that the only cost of the wolf is the killing of livestock, but the impact of primal fear that cattle understandably feel when a wolf is near has dramatic and serious impacts on weight gain and on pregnancy rates.  These losses are real and they are serious.  In a time when even the President is concerned about beef prices, these losses affect everyone by reducing the size of cattle herds and herd productivity.”

Congress Needs To Do More To Help Ranchers

Bentz added Congress needs to "protect those who are trying their best to feed this country, to make a living, to keep their communities alive, to put out range fires, to pay their taxes, and to continue to be productive parts of this nation."  And that, he stressed, can be done by delisting the wolf and moving management back to the states.

Watch Bentz' entire speech from the floor by Clicking Here.

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