Bill > HF271

This bill appropriates funds to the Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture for two specific types of wildlife damage compensation: wolf depredation and elk damage payments. For wolf-related damages, the bill allocates an unspecified amount of money in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the general fund to compensate livestock owners for animals destroyed or crippled by wolves. The bill also allows up to $5,000 per year to reimburse university extension agents for determining fair market values of damaged livestock. Similarly, another unspecified amount is appropriated for elk-related compensation, covering crop and fence damage. An important flexibility is built into the bill: if claims are unusually high in either the wolf or elk damage categories, the commissioner can transfer funds between these two compensation programs. This legislation aims to provide financial relief to agricultural producers who suffer economic losses due to wildlife interactions, specifically wolf predation and elk damage.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0271&ssn=0&y=2025