Salem, OR. – Official Release: The Oregon Senate has passed Senate Bill 777, a long-overdue update to Oregon’s wolf depredation compensation program. The bill, championed by Senator Todd Nash (R–Enterprise) and Representative Bobby Levy (R-Echo), provides fair compensation for ranchers who lose livestock or working dogs to confirmed wolf kills while increasing funding for nonlethal deterrence.
“In 2011, we created Oregon’s first compensation program when wolves were still new to the state. We’ve learned a lot since then,” said Senator Nash. “This bill reflects what we now know: that our previous system didn’t fully account for the losses ranchers face.
SB 777 is a long-overdue fix that restores trust in the system and ensures that Oregon’s wolf policy reflects reality, not outdated assumptions.” When Oregon’s compensation program was first established, only one county participated. Since then, wolves have spread across the state, and today, half of Oregon’s 36 counties now rely on compensation programs. SB 777 updates the program to address this expanding challenge, ensuring ranchers in every affected county receive fair treatment.
The bill removes compensation for missing livestock, instead implements a multiplier system, allowing counties to set compensation rates based on fair market value. Under SB 777, calves, yearlings, sheep, and goats can be compensated at up to five times their fair market value, while cows can be compensated at up to three times, with a $25,000 total cap. It also expands support for ranchers as wolf populations continue to grow. SB 777 now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
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