What’s happening:  Thanks to Farm Bureau’s advocacy work, the Senate is about to consider S. 1306, which would remove the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act and return management authority to state wildlife agencies. 

Why it matters: Gray wolf populations have exceeded federal recovery goals by more than 300%, yet current protections limit the ability of states to manage growing populations.  

This has led to: 

• Increased livestock losses  
• Safety risks in rural communities  
• Uncertainty for farmers and ranchers  

How we got here: 

• Gray wolves were listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1974.  
• A 2020 rule delisted wolves, but a 2022 federal court ruling reversed that decision.  
• Today, wolves have four different legal designations nationwide, creating confusion and limiting effective management.  

The solution:  

S. 1306 would: 

• Delist the gray wolf in the lower 48 states  
• Prevent ongoing litigation from overturning the decision  
• Return management authority to state wildlife agencies  
• Ensure decisions are made closer to impacted communities  

The big picture: Farmers and ranchers need certainty and tools to protect their livestock. State-led management provides the flexibility needed to balance conservation success with real-world impacts. 

Tell your senators: Support S. 1306, without amendments, to remove the gray wolf from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife under the Endangered Species Act.