Posted: Thursday, March 07, 2013 12:00 PM
Mitch Lies/Capital Press
Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Katy Coba told participants in the Oregon Farm Bureau's annual convention Dec. 5 in Salem that more people from outside of agriculture are recognizing the importance of the industry to the state's well being.
Funds to reimburse ranchers
SALEM -- The Oregon Department of Agriculture plans to dedicate the bulk of its wolf compensation fund this year to reimbursement for livestock losses, according to Director Katy Coba.
Speaking to the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Natural Resources, Coba said that to date, the department has spent the bulk of its $100,000 wolf compensation fund on efforts to prevent wolf depredation.
"As we look to round two, the priority would be on reimbursing those that have had confirmed kills," Coba said.
Current law requires that 30 percent of the wolf compensation fund go to prevention measures. The department more than covered that requirement this biennium, she said.
Coba characterized the $100,000 proposed for the fund this biennium in the governor's recommended budget as "a good number."
-- Mitch Lies
"Given what we know now, we are at the right number, but we need to reserve the right to come back if we start seeing ... some additional kills," she said.