During the 2025 Rustici Rangeland Science Symposium, UC Davis researchers estimated that California’s most wolf-affected cattle operations can experience anywhere from $1.6 to $3.4 million in cumulative direct and indirect losses.
Tina Saitone, professor of extension focused on livestock and rangeland economics, and Ken Tate, professor and specialist in rangeland management, are continuing a years-long study working with ranchers and the U.S. Forest Service to survey roughly one million acres in northeastern California. Their sprawling camera network has tracked the interaction between wolf packs and cattle in the area.
2023 data demonstrated major cattle behavior differences, such as changes in movement, rest and grazing. Participating ranchers shared photos of underweight cattle who experienced severe duress in the presence of wolves, often running miles more than typical when out to pasture.
But: California Cattlemen's Association President Rick Roberti called the depredation occurrences appalling, warning fellow ranchers that it's only a matter of time before wolves reach their operation.
Others condemned the idea of "subsidized wolves,” referring to the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program and rancher repayments for direct cattle losses.
Axel Hunnicutt, state gray wolf coordinator at CDFW, fielded questions about how the state is tracking its growing wolf population. He said the state is working in partnership with the California Wolf Project out of UC Berkeley to get a metabarcoding analysis, which will create a clearer dietary analysis of California’s wolves.
State veterinarian addresses regional strategy for avian flu response
CDFA published a new nine-page regional strategy to address H5N1 in tandem with an update from State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones.
While North Coast dairies have remained in the clear since the outbreak started last fall, the Central Valley region is in the midst of quarantines and operations being cleared, emphasizing the need for related research and recovery. Southern California falls in the middle, requiring consistent disease buffers in high-density dairy regions and regular testing.
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Jones added that when roughly 60 to 70% of herds in a given region are exposed to the virus, it tends to “disappear” — the exception possibly being Tulare County, which has an exceptionally high density of dairies.
Senate GOP pushing ahead with budget plan, despite Trump bombshell
Senate Republicans are moving ahead with their skinny budget plan, even though President Donald Trump has come out forcefully for the massive, alternative plan favored by the House GOP.
“And all I can say is, I think our colleagues are on board with the idea of proceeding and moving forward in a way that hopefully gets us an outcome here in the Senate, and then we'll see what the house is able to achieve next week,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.
Why it matters: Senate Republicans want to delay work on tax cuts until later this year and focus now on increasing border and defense spending. House GOP leaders say they’ve got to address all of Trump’s priorities at once, including tax cuts, because they may not get another shot.
But, but, but: The House GOP leadership has its own headaches, getting support for a single bill. Eight GOP members led by Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez wrote House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday, raising concerns about potential cuts to SNAP, Medicaid and Pell grants.
EU push for import ‘mirror clauses’ shows need for more ag trade cooperation, US industry warns
In a new roadmap, the European Union outlines its aspirations to require imported products to more closely align with domestic pesticide and animal welfare rules. A soy industry representative tells Agri-Pulse that these ambitions highlight the need for deeper cooperation in international venues.
“We can end up in these bilateral tiffs,” said Rosalind Leeck, executive director for market access and strategy at the U.S. Soybean Export Council. “But I think this is one of the reasons that we need to continue to point to things like Codex Alimentarius.”
The Codex Alimentarius is a collection of voluntary, internationally recognized food standards published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization.
“Different jurisdictions have their own rights in order to establish what makes sense for their environments, for their consumers,” Leeck said. But she added that cooperating multilaterally in venues like the FAO and Codex can foster “international standards for food safety that we all can benefit from.”
Lutnick confirmed as Commerce secretary
The Senate voted to confirm Howard Lutnick as Commerce secretary on Tuesday night in a 51-45 party-line vote.
The former CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald had received the backing of Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, Pa., in a Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee vote last week. But ultimately no Democrats voted with Republicans in the full Senate vote.
Read our full report at Agri-Pulse.com.
Final word:
“This is the new buzzworthy thing.” — Brad Hooker, Sacramento bureau chief at Agri-Pulse West, who found it strange to quote himself in Daybreak.
On Wednesday Hooker appeared on AirTalk at NPR’s Los Angeles affiliate to discuss the latest policy news about immigration, trade and labor. Listen to the segment at LAist.
