CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY
March 10, 2025
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CDFW Issues Gray Wolf Updates
Last Tuesday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that it has issued a series of updates regarding gray wolves in the state.
Among the documents is the Department’s “Quarterly Wolf News” update for the last quarter of 2024. As CDFW previously announced, the agency is no longer reporting total population numbers in its quarterly updates and is limiting its reporting to “updates to reproduction and mortality” for reproductive packs.
The Department now reports seven wolf packs known in the state of California, a decline from the nine packs identified in the Department’s November map detailing areas of gray wolf activity. The Department explains that the Beckwourth Pack is no longer considered active, as it has had no confirmed detections in a year and that evidence suggests “that the Beyem Seyo and Antelope packs have merged.” A map of current areas of wolf activity is available here, and illustrates five areas of known wolf activity in addition to the seven known wolf pack territories.
Because the quarterly update is only current through the end of December, it does not detail the dozen wolves recently collared by the Department, as announced in a Feb. 14 press release.
The Department last week also updated its narrative documentation of “California’s Known Wolves – Past and Present.” The agency has not released any new depredation investigation reports since Dec. 20, when it posted reports for investigations through Nov. 28. CCA will continue to keep members apprised of new reporting available regarding the state’s gray wolf population.
Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency to Address Wildfire Risks
Earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency “to fast-track critical wildfire prevention projects statewide,” according to a press release. The proclamation suspends the application of state laws within the jurisdiction of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) – including the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act – to “critical fuels reduction projects…initiated this year.” CCA will engage with CalEPA and CNRA to advance the Association’s wildfire resilience priorities as applicable under the state of emergency proclamation, particularly regarding prescribed fire and application of livestock grazing for fire fuels reduction. For more information, see last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly.
Water Board to Charge Late Fees for Delinquent Water Rights Reporting
The State Water Resources Control Board has announced that it is assessing late fees on water rightsholders who still have not filed their annual Water Use Reports for the 2023-24 reporting year, which were due on Feb. 1. Late fees are new this year and will be charged on rightsholders’ annual water rights fee billing, which will be sent to water users in the Fall. If you have yet to file your 2023-24 Water Use Report, CCA urges you to do so as soon as possible, as late fees will increase in April. For more information, see last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly.
Treasury Suspends Corporate Transparency Act Enforcement for Domestic Companies
The Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has announced that the agency will “not enforce any penalties or fines against U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies” that fail to file beneficial ownership information with the agency under the Corporate Transparency Act [CTA] and that FinCEN intends to “narrow the scope of the rule to foreign reporting companies only.”
As a reminder, the CTA requires many small businesses with 20 or fewer employees to file with FinCEN “identifying information about the individuals who directly or indirectly own or control” the business. For additional details, see last week’s edition of California Cattleman Weekly.
Upcoming CCA Events
CCA Steak and Eggs Breakfast + Lobby Day
March 12, 2025, Sacramento, CA
Join the California Cattlemen’s Association and other CCA members at the 44th Steak and Eggs Breakfast + Lobby Day. Plan to be in Sacramento on Wednesday, March 12. Breakfast starts at 8am! Over breakfast, enjoy sharing about your ranch while meeting representatives from regulatory and legislative offices in Sacramento. Following the breakfast, attendees will head across the street to the state Capitol to continue conversations about ranching in California. To learn more, visit our website by clicking here.
2025 Feeder Meeting Early Bird Registration Ends Tonight!
May 21-22, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, San Diego, CA
Registration for Feeder Meeting is now open! Feeder Meeting will take place May 21 – 22. To register and view a tentative schedule, click here. Please note registration prices will increase after 3/10. To book your stay at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, click here.
Upcoming Industry Events
Agricultural Conservation Easement 101 Workshop
March 14, 2025, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm, Gazelle Grange, Gazelle, CA
The Siskiyou Land Trust is hosting an “Agricultural Conservation Easement 101 Workshop” on Friday, March 14 at the Gazelle Grange. The workshop will cover the potential long-term benefits related to conservation easements and the ways conservation easements may assist with ranch planning and stewardship. No RSVPS are required. To learn more about the event, click here.
Ag Legacy Symposium: Preparing the Farm and Ranch for the Next Generation
March 27, 2025, 5:30 pm, UC Cooperative Extension Office, Yuba City, CA
Join the University of California of Cooperative Extension on Thursday, March 27 for an Ag Legacy Symposium at the UC Cooperative Extension Office in Yuba City, Calif. The session will prepare participants farm, ranch, forestry operation, or agri-business, big or small, for the transition to the next generation. The presentations will cover legal aspects, financial topics, political factors, family dynamics, and provide real-life scenarios for you to consider incorporating into your succession plan. This symposium is designed for those who need to kick start their estate plan, those with plans under development or those looking to refine their plan. Early Bird registration is $20 and includes dinner and workshop materials. To view an agenda, learn more about the symposium, and to register, click here. To view the information file, click here.
Public Lands Council Legislative Conference
April 8-9, 2025, Washington, D.C.
The Public Lands Council (PLC) Legislative Conference will take place April 8-9, in Washington, D.C. To view a tentative schedule click here. To register, click here.
Industry News
Gray wolves in California blamed for 19 livestock deaths. What happened? Redding Record Searchlight “Keeping wolves off his Modoc County ranch is ‘emotional and stressful,’ said Ray Anklin, who said he lost a yearling to wolves on Dec. 23. ‘You don’t see grown men cry very much, but … you care for the livestock day and night, and then this happens.’” To continue reading, click here.
Marin County ranchers sue US over Point Reyes land deal The Press Democrat “William Niman, the founder of Niman Ranch, and his wife Nicolette Hahn Niman have sued the National Park Service over its recent decision to prohibit agricultural operations on 28,000 acres within Point Reyes National Seashore.” To continue reading, click here.
BLM and USFS approve plan to remove wild horses near Mono Lake Bureau of Land Management “The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service have approved a plan for the agencies to gather and remove excess wild horses that have roamed outside the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory near Benton onto public and private lands, in accordance with the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burros Act of 1971.” To continue reading, click here.
A new episode of Sorting Pen: The California Cattleman Podcast is out now! This week’s episode features two issues that came up at this year’s CattleCon: trade & taxes. In this conversation hear from past CCA President Tony Toso, who is now chair of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) International Trade Committee.
Later in the episode hear from NCBA’s Associate Director of Government Affairs Kelsea Kemp, who happens to hail from California. Listen as Kelsea shares about NCBA’s tax priorities and one specific act NCBA is lobbying on right now. To tune in, click the link.
