The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced $35 million available in response to the growing threat that feral swine have on American agriculture landscapes and human and livestock health. According to a press release by the USDA, quote, this partnership opportunity is part of a broader $105 million investment for the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, where USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are working together to target feral swine. NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley said, “We are collaborating with our partners at USDA and across the country to help combat feral swine and keep our farms and ranches and landscapes safe.”
Buckley also said, “These invasive species cause more than $3.4 billion in damage each year, including damage to agricultural landscapes. Thanks to the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, NRCS is available to expand this effort, giving producers and partners more resources to protect working lands and strengthen the long-term resilience of agricultural operations.”
Partners are encouraged to apply for feral swine eradication and control projects in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Feral swine have been known to cause significant negative effects on plant and wildlife habitats, soil, water quality, as well as other natural resources. Humans and livestock alike are also susceptible to diseases these feral swine carry. Partners who are selected to participate in the feral swine eradication and control pilot program will provide assistance in restoration and on-farm trapping efforts.
Audio Reporting by Elizabeth Sanders for Southeast AgNet.