Rural Colorado communities deserve more

Colorado Representative Dusty Johnson | October 29, 2026

The Colorado state government has once again chosen to protect the wolf population over ranchers, farmers, and agricultural producers. The recent Colorado Parks and Wildlife decision to suspend the chronic wolf depredation directive is far from the first time political actors have put agricultural communities last on their list of priorities, but it is a decision that will impact the livelihoods and operations of rural Colorado communities.

On Sept. 30, 2026, CPW made the decision to temporarily suspend the chronic wolf depredation directive. This policy was established in 2025 as an agreement with ranchers: If ranchers followed CPW’s rules by doing everything they could to limit livestock conflict, CPW would lethally remove wolves that repeatedly preyed on livestock.

However, CPW will now use “conservative measures” to handle depredating wolves due to their growing concern over the decreasing population. Once again, this leaves our agriculture communities empty-handed, with few answers and no solutions.

Colorado’s farm communities are among the top economic drivers in the state. House District 63, the district I represent, is home to some of the highest-performing agricultural producers in Colorado. The eastern plains support large-scale beef cattle, dairy farms, corn, wheat, and other high-value livestock and crops.

Not only do communities like mine produce commodities that are essential for the rest of the state, but they do so with pride and tenacity. Colorado ranchers do not simply get up, clock in, and clock out for the day like most. This lifestyle requires long, grueling hours and hard work from sun-up until sundown.

Being a rancher or agricultural producer is not an easy profession. While most in the industry know the physical demands of the job, most of the difficulty does not come from the day-to-day work. It comes from the government.

Last year, CPW paid over $700,000 in reimbursements to ranchers for the livestock killed by wolves. When wolves prey on livestock, it causes severe financial strain as herds begin to thin. Reproduction decreases with frequent wolf attacks, while the associated stress causes calves and lambs to lose weight. Ranchers are forced to spend more money on preventative measures, and extra time patrolling pastures.

Government entities like CPW, the state legislature, and the governor’s administration have shown us that rural communities are very low in their ranking of importance.

Ranchers and other agricultural producers have acted in good faith throughout the wolf reintroduction process, despite CPW breaking promise after promise. In the midst of dealing with frequent depredation, income loss, and operational disruptions, Colorado’s agriculture community has continued to seek transparency and solutions.

CPW’s refusal to use lethal measures on depredating wolves when no other measures have proven to alleviate the already rampant problem is reckless and harmful. It is yet another instance of urban decisions having real-life consequences for the rural ways of life.

My Republican colleagues in the Colorado House and I sent a letter to CPW both denouncing the removal of lethal measures but also asking CPW to further discuss this decision and seek public input. We have asked for there to be a public comment period so that rural stakeholders can have a say in the decisions that directly impact their families and their lives.

Colorado’s rural communities deserve more than what they have been given. While the Democrat-led state government has consistently treated rural livelihoods as less important than the rest of the state, I have faith that rural Colorado will continue to stand up.

Agriculture and rural communities are still an essential pillar of Colorado life and society. Our state government needs to act like it, starting by giving our ranchers a voice in the conversation.

Editor’s Note: Rep. Dusty Johnson represents House District 63. She serves on the Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources, Health & Human Services, Education, and Legislative Audit Committee. Rep. Johnson’s agricultural background drives her passion and dedication to serving Colorado’s rural and agricultural communities in the Colorado Legislature.

SOURCE: theFencePost, October 29, 2026