USDA Announces Feral Swine Control and Eradication Program

(WASHINGTON, DC) USDA announced the establishment of a new Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. The 2018 Farm Bill included this new pilot program to help address the threat that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and human and animal health. The $75 million investment is a joint effort between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and will direct up to $33.75 million of the allocated funds toward partnership efforts to work with landowners in targeted areas. Applications are being accepted through August 19th in select areas of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. Pilot projects will consist broadly of three coordinated components: 1) feral swine removal by APHIS; 2) restoration efforts supported by NRCS, and; 3) assistance to producers for feral swine control provided through partnership agreements with non-federal partners.