Minnesota Offers $25,000 in Grants to Prevent Wolf Attacks on Livestock
Minnesota livestock producers can apply by Dec. 18 for grants covering 80% of eligible costs to prevent wolf attacks on livestock.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is offering $25,000 in Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grants to help livestock producers reduce the risk of wolf attacks. The funding comes from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“Livestock depredation by wolves is a serious threat to farms in Minnesota,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. “Receiving this funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services and being able to administer it to farmers experiencing this hardship is a crucial step to help curb this conflict.”
Eligible Expenses
The grants reimburse producers for approved practices intended to prevent conflicts between wolves and livestock. Eligible expenses include:
- Purchasing guard animals and covering their veterinary costs
- Installing wolf barriers, including pens
- Fladry and fencing
- Wolf-deterring lights and alarms
- Calving or lambing shelters
Who Can Apply?
Eligible producers must live within Minnesota's wolf range, as designated by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or have property that the agriculture commissioner determines is affected by wolf-livestock conflicts.
Any animal species raised for profit may qualify if there is documentation that wolves have killed that species in Minnesota in the past.
Grant Amounts & Deadlines
The program requires an 80:20 matching cost-share. Grants reimburse 80% of eligible project costs, while recipients are responsible for the remaining 20%.
Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2026. Grant-funded work must be completed, and expenses reported, by Oct. 31, 2027.
Producers can find application materials and additional details on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Wolf-Livestock Conflict Prevention Grant webpage.
Additional Livestock Loss Compensation
The MDA also operates a compensation fund for livestock losses caused by wolves. In 2026, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided an additional $55,000 to compensate farmers for livestock previously lost to wolf depredation. The funding was intended to help more farmers and supplement state livestock compensation funding allocated by the Walz-Flanagan Administration.
More information about the Wolf Compensation Depredation Fund is available on the MDA website.
