HF1402

This bill proposes modifications to Minnesota’s compensation programs for farmers and ranchers who experience economic loss due to wolf depredation of livestock or damage to crops and fences caused by elk. Key changes include:

1. Wolf Depredation Compensation

   • Livestock or pets destroyed or severely injured by wolves will be eligible for compensation by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
     
   • Compensation amounts range from a minimum of $100 per claim to a maximum of $20,000 per fiscal year.
     
   • Claims must be verified through an investigation by a university extension agent, conservation officer, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service official, sheriff’s office peace officer, or a licensed veterinarian.
     
   • Updates requirements for these investigations, including photographic evidence and evaluation of circumstances beyond a visual inspection of the carcass.
     

2. Compensation for Elk-Related Crop and Fence Damage

   • Establishes defined investigative procedures to determine whether elk caused the damage and assigns a monetary value.
     
   • Introduces a clearer definition of roles, including "approved agents" such as peace officers or designated Agriculture Department personnel, who conduct investigations and determine damage valuation.
     
   • Modifies claim reporting and valuation requirements for both standing crops and stored crops.
     
   • Increases the maximum annual compensation limit to $20,000 per owner for crop or fence damage, while maintaining the $1,800 annual cap for fence damage compensation.
     
   • Allows livestock or farm owners who receive compensation to permit hunting on their land at their discretion.
     

3. Funding Allocations

   • Appropriates $2.5 million in both fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for compensation related to wolf depredation.
     
   • Appropriates $2.5 million in both fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for compensation related to crop and fence damage by elk.
     

4. Repeal of Appeal Provisions

   • Eliminates the current legal appeals process for denied claims, removing provisions that allowed farmers and ranchers to seek court reviews of claim denials through a trial de novo.
     

Summary

The bill refines and standardizes compensation processes for farmers and ranchers affected by wolf attacks and elk-related damages while allocating funding for these compensations. It also removes the right to contest denied claims in court, streamlining but possibly limiting recourse for disputes.