Media Note: Graphic and photos available for download
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has started a process to evaluate California’s Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program (WLCP).
On Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, CDFW held a workshop with a group of stakeholder representatives focused on how best to assess the program to inform potential adjustments to future applications and funding opportunities.
The purpose of the workshop was to identify a transparent and collaborative process for evaluating the existing WLCP. The discussion marked the first step in gathering input and perspectives from key stakeholder groups involved in livestock production, wolf conservation, research and government agencies.
CDFW recognizes that the WLCP affects a wide range of interests. Participants were selected based on their previous involvement in the development of the program, their authority and expertise, and their roles representing multiple interested and affected stakeholders. During the workshop, attendees helped identify an evaluation process designed to ensure transparency while providing opportunities for public review and input.
Invited participants included representatives from the California Farm Bureau, California Cattlemen’s Association, Western Landowners Alliance, California Wool Growers Association, Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), University of California Cooperative Extension, University of California, Berkeley, Defenders of Wildlife, the California Wolf Foundation, the California Center for Biological Diversity, Working Circle, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
CDFW will continue working with these groups and the public as the evaluation process moves forward.
Since its inception as a pilot program in 2021, CDFW’s Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program has paid out more than $3.5 million to livestock producers whose operations have been impacted by the return of gray wolves to California.
For more information about the evaluation process, timeline and opportunities to participate please visit CDFW’s Wolf Livestock Compensation Grants webpage.
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Media Contact:
Steve Gonzalez, CDFW Communications, (916) 804-1714