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Minnesota farmer cautiously optimistic about gray wolf bill

A northern Minnesota farmer who’s lost livestock to wolf attacks is cautiously optimistic about the latest effort to delist the gray wolf.

Roseau County farmer Shayne Isane says he loses cattle to wolf attacks every year.

“This year we had four (cows) killed in one evening.”

Speaking to Brownfield at the 100th Minnesota Farm Bureau annual meeting in Minneapolis, he says indemnity payments do little to make up for the added stress to his herd.

“Especially in the summer months when we’re under attack from the timber wolves.”

With the House passing a bill to remove gray wolves from the Endangered Species List, Isane says he’s not getting his hopes up yet.

“Last time we had courts overturn decisions made, but we’re going to stay optimistic and I think we’re on the right path.”

Isane, who represents the northwestern part of the state for Minnesota Farm Bureau, says wolves have a place in nature, but populations have gotten out of hand.

“And thus we have a lot of problems.”

Farm Bureau supports de-listing the gray wolf.