Wolf Reintroduction Threatens Colorado Livestock Producers

On June 1, 2023, Kim Monson examines the challenges facing Colorado’s agricultural community as wolf reintroduction plans encounter resistance from neighboring states. Lisa Bennett, entrepreneur and rural Colorado advocate, breaks down the latest developments, while realtor Karen Levine provides insights on the spring housing market and first-time homebuyer programs. Western Governors Block Colorado Wolf Transfer Start listening at 33:40 – Hour 1 Lisa Bennett, owner of Wild Skies luxury cabin rental and expert on rural Colorado issues, reports that governors of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho have refused to supply wolves for Colorado’s reintroduction program. The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project had planned to source animals from these states, but all three governors declined, citing the devastating impacts wolf populations have had on their own livestock industries. Bennett explains that the original Yellowstone wolf reintroduction in the 1990s promised wolves would stay within park boundaries, a promise that proved impossible to keep. As wolf populations grew faster than anticipated, packs split and migrated across state lines, leaving ranchers unprepared for the resulting livestock losses. The wolves reintroduced were Canadian wolves, nearly twice the size of the native American wolf species, creating a more formidable apex predator. The discussion reveals that livestock losses extend beyond direct predation. Bennett notes that proximity to wolves causes stress in cattle, leading to lower pregnancy rates, reduced weaning weights by approximately 25%, and other economic impacts that compound ranchers’ already thin margins. She warns that Governor Polis has appointed the former head of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project to serve as Colorado’s Department of Agriculture livestock investigation chief, a position that requires her to advocate for the livestock industry she previously worked against. “So recently we had the governors of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, which is where the wolf reintroduction group, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, wanted to get the wolves for Colorado from, basically said, those three governors said, sorry, you’re not going to get them from our state.” Lisa Bennett, Owner of Wild Skies Spring Real Estate Market and Homebuyer Opportunities Start listening at 63:29 – Hour 2 Karen Levine, REMAX realtor with nearly 30 years of Colorado experience, reports that June 2023 looks to be a strong month for both buyers and sellers despite ongoing inventory challenges. While the market remains short of balanced inventory levels, Levine emphasizes that real estate conditions vary significantly by neighborhood, with some communities thriving while others face buyer pushback on valuations. Levine highlights the Colorado Housing Authority (CHFA) program as an underutilized resource for first-time homebuyers. The program, in existence for decades, currently offers interest rates below market levels and down payment assistance for qualifying buyers. She encourages working families who might not typically explore government programs to investigate whether they qualify, noting that many taxpaying citizens fail to take advantage of benefits available to them. “There’s lots of great financing out there for buyers, especially first-time homebuyers. The CHFA program, which has been in place for decades, has interest rates that are below market right now.” Karen Levine, REMAX Realtor