Representatives Collin Peterson of Minnesota, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Sean Duffy of Wisconsin have introduced legislation to permanently remove the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List. The bill would return management of gray wolves to the states, instead of the federal management. Minnesota Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Ashley Kohls says her group supports the measure and has been calling for that action for some time.

She says in the past the Minnesota DNR did a great job of managing the predator.

Kohls says when gray wolves destroy cattle, the cost to the producer goes beyond just the loss of the animal.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had attempted to take wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming off the endangered species list. They argued those populations had recovered sufficiently, but the courts in 2014 re-imposed federal protections for the wolves. The House legislation would correct that.