WDFW opens comments on livestock compensation rules

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is accepting public comment on proposed rule changes that would update how the agency compensates commercial livestock producers for losses caused by wildlife depredation, including wolves.  

The proposal includes adjustments to how livestock value is determined, along with technical and structural changes to clarify and streamline the claims process. 

One of the substantive changes would expand the types of records WDFW may accept when determining the value of a livestock loss. The proposed language is designed to give producers greater flexibility in documenting losses and to simplify the department’s process for identifying a qualified livestock assessor when third-party valuation is required. According to WDFW, these changes are intended to better reflect real-world production records while reducing delays in claim resolution. 

Additional proposals would reorganize and revise portions of the Washington Administrative Code governing depredation compensation. WDFW is proposing new definitions and updated terminology to clarify the steps producers must follow when submitting a claim, the documentation required and how compensation decisions are made. The agency said the revisions are aimed at improving consistency between administrative rules and state statutes and at making the process easier for producers to understand and navigate.  

WDFW emphasized that the current rulemaking does not change statutory compensation levels but focuses on improving administration, clarity and consistency. 

The public comment period remains open through March 16. Comments may be submitted online at tinyurl.com/ybr5athz, by sending an email to 2026livestockcr102@publicinput.com, by phone at 855-925-2801 using project code 5621, or by mail to WDFW Wildlife Program, P.O. Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504. A public hearing will also be held during the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission’s March hybrid meeting on March 12-14 in Walla Walla, WA, with advance online registration required at tinyurl.com/yc835h9z to provide testimony. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor