Dayton proposes more compensation to farmers for wolf losses

Now that wolves are back on the endangered list in Minnesota, Gov. Mark Dayton's budget proposal includes more money to compensate farmers for livestock losses.

The governor's budget would provide $125,000 annually for wolf depredation compensation. That's up $100,000 from the current $25,000 per year. The account has already run dry for the current fiscal year.

Budget documents say the goal is to pay all valid claims.

A federal judge last month put wolves in the western Great Lakes region back on the endangered list. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has not yet said whether it will appeal. Some lawmakers have proposed legislation to return the wolves to state management. To pre-empt that, animal welfare groups have petitioned the service to reclassify the wolves as threatened rather than endangered.