Fact Sheets - Livestock Protection Program

Wildlife Services: Past and Present

The Wildlife Services (WS) program’s goals and objectives have evolved significantly since its establishment in 1895 as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Division of Entomology. Initially, WS focused on predator control activities for the protection of livestock; program priorities revolved largely around agricultural economics. Although the program’s
mission and legal authority have not changed, the breadth of WS activities has increased over time due to societal demands.

The National Animal Damage Control Act of 1931 provided legal authority to WS, which was then known as the Division of Predatory Animal and Rodent Control, to protect American agriculture and other resources from damage associated with wildlife. In 1939, the program was transferred from USDA to the U.S. Department of the Interior. It later returned to USDA in 1985, where it remains today as part of USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

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