President Trump Directs USDA and Interior to Re-evaluate Wolf Protections and Expand State-Inspected Meat Programs
President Trump signed executive orders on September 4 that could significantly impact agricultural policy and wildlife management. One directive instructs the Interior Department to assess whether gray wolves and Mexican wolves meet the criteria for reduced or eliminated protections under the Endangered Species Act. Both wolf species are currently listed as endangered and have been reintroduced in parts of the Western U.S. over several decades, despite ongoing concerns from ranchers. Additionally, President Trump directed the USDA and Interior Department to update their rules regarding compensation for ranchers experiencing losses due to predators. Another key directive from President Trump instructs the USDA to expand programs that facilitate the interstate transport of state-inspected meat. Historically, meat generally requires federal inspection to be sold across state lines. These actions signal a move towards potentially easing regulations for ranchers and expanding market access for state-insinspect...