CALIFORNIA CATTLEMAN WEEKLY

May 18, 2026

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LAST CHANCE: Sign Up to Attend PLC Grazing Roundtable Wednesday in Susanville
The Public Lands Council invites grazing permittees to a roundtable this Wednesday, May 20 in Susanville to discuss federal lands grazing issues. Interested permittees can RSVP for the event here. The address of the meeting and additional details will be shared with respondents ahead of the roundtable. Permittees unable to attend the roundtable will have an opportunity to participate in a virtual roundtable at a later date, though in-person participation is heavily encouraged. For additional details, see the April 13 edition of California Cattleman Weekly.

Governor Newsom Releases “May Revise” of Proposed Budget
At a press conference on Thursday, Governor Gavin Newsom detailed the “May Revise” of his proposed 20267/27 State Budget. The May Revise proposes total spending of $349.9 billion over the next fiscal year and seeks to zero out projected deficits for the two subsequent budget cycles, partly by drawing on $16.5 billion in unanticipated revenues driven by a booming artificial intelligence sector.

While the May Revise does propose funding for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s “Coexisting with Wildlife initiative” (a paltry $1 million), it does not propose additional funding for CDFW’s Wolf Program. CCA and a diverse coalition of stakeholders have been lobbying throughout the year for an additional $30.8 million for the Program, including $25 million to fully fund the Department’s Wolf-Livestock Compensation Program. While the CCA priority does not receive mention in the May Revise, a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of legislators continue to support the funding request.

Newsom’s May Revise is far from the final word on next year’s budget. Rather, it kicks off a breakneck month of negotiations between the Governor’s Office, the Senate and the Assembly ahead of a June 15 Constitutional deadline to pass a budget bill. CCA will keep members apprised as the 2026/27 Budget picture continues to come into focus.

CDFW Releases 2025 Annual Wolf Report
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife released its 2025 Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Annual Report on Thursday. According to the report, California had a minimum population of 55 wolves at the end of 2025, a 10% increase over the prior year’s count of 50 (while the actual population of wolves in California is higher, the year-end minimum wolf population reflects only those wolves CDFW was able to affirmatively identify). The population increase occurred despite CDFW confirming a record 12 wolf mortalities throughout the year, including four members of the Beyem Seyo Pack lethally removed in October after killing at least 90 cattle in the Sierra Valley.

In total, the Department responded to 267 suspected depredations last year, up 260% from the prior year. Of those investigations, 198 were found to be confirmed or probable wolf attacks, a similar 266% increase from 2024.

According to the report, four new wolf packs – the Ashpan, Grizzly, Ishi and Tunnison – were identified last year. The Department no longer recognizes the Ishi Pack, believing it to be the same pack as the Ice Cave Pack. In total, the Department’s year-end count tallies nine known wolf packs (though as previously reported in California Cattleman Weekly, the Department has since announced the discovery of another three packs).

At least six of those nine packs reproduced last year, producing a minimum of 32 pups. CDFW reports that there were only three breeding pairs at year’s end, though, as the Beyem Seyo Pack had been lethally removed and the Lassen and Yowlumni packs had “small or unsuccessful litters” (as a reminder, reproductively-active wolves are only deemed a “breeding pair” under the 2016 Conservation Plan for Gray Wolves in California if at least two pups survive through December 31).

While the year-end number of breeding pairs fell one short of the benchmark for Phase 2 of wolf management under the Conservation Plan, CDFW notes that “most other population metrics…point to continuing recovery. As a result, Phase 2 will continue through 2026.” For additional information, see CDFW’s report.

UC Berkeley & UCCE Release Survey Seeking Feedback on Wolf-Livestock Compensation
UC-Berkeley and UC Cooperative Extension are seeking input from livestock producers and interested parties who live in California on the future of wolf-livestock compensation. All survey responses are anonymous, and any data collected will be securely housed at UC and shared only in aggregate form with CDFW and the public. The survey can be accessed at the following link, takes approximately 20 minutes to complete and will close on June 11.

Click here to take the survey.

This survey is part of CDFW’s ongoing review of the current wolf-livestock compensation program and is intended to gather feedback to help improve the pilot program established in 2021. It is separate from the survey distributed by UC in July 2025.

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Industry News

A New Era for the West: Public Lands Rule Repealed as BLM Overhauls Grazing Regs Drovers “In a sweeping move to restore the federal government’s commitment to multiple-use management, the Trump administration Tuesday finalized the rescission of the Biden-era Conservation and Landscape Health Rule (the Public Lands Rule) while simultaneously unveiling a landmark proposal to modernize the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) aging grazing regulations.” To continue reading, click here.

‘$30 for a hamburger’: Trump’s facing no good options on beef prices Politico “The White House must now decide how to proceed with an executive order to temporarily ease tariffs on imported beef — a move that was delayed earlier this week amid intense backlash from farm-state lawmakers and industry allies.” To continue reading, click here.

Trump administration readying a plan to impose Colorado River water cuts on western states Los Angeles Times “So far, negotiators for California, Arizona and Nevada have offered to use roughly 1.6 million acre-feet less annually over the next two years. But Buschatzke said the Trump administration’s plan would allow for mandatory cutbacks of up to 3 million acre-feet per year in the three states — as much as 40% of their combined allotments.” To continue reading, click here.

CLEAR Center Frank Mitloehner Named Animal Science Chair UC Davis News & Events
“Frank Mitloehner, an air quality specialist, professor and director of the CLEAR Center, will be the new chair of the Department of Animal Science, which has the highest undergraduate enrollment in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.” To read the full article, click here.