Farmers Hot Line - National January 2026 | Page 14

Feature

Wolf Conflict Is Rising

It’ s Not Just a Ranching Problem Anymore

By Alex Shewbirt

Wolf – livestock conflict continues to escalate in multiple western states, reshaping herds, stressing families and testing rural management systems. Recent reporting and state wildlife agency actions have pushed the issue from ranch country into broader rural conversation, especially in places such as Sierra Valley, California, where predation pressures intensified enough this year for the county to declare a local emergency.

In a December 3, 2025, report, agriculture journalist Angie Stump Denton described producers facing nightly patrols, livestock losses and growing safety concerns. Her coverage highlighted ranchers who have endured years of wolf impacts, with one interviewee sharing how the relentless pressure had
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