USDA Awards $1.4 Million for Feral Hog Control

TEMPLE, TX – Earlier this week, authorities say a pack of feral hogs attacked and killed a 59-year old woman in Chambers County, Texas. Her death, though uncommon, highlights the need to control a population that has experienced unprecedented growth over the past 20 years. USDA recently announced a $1.4 million award to the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board to fund three pilot projects to control feral swine in Texas. The projects are part of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program which is a joint effort between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to help address the issues that feral swing pose to agriculture, ecosystems as well as human and animal health. Feral swine cause a high level of economic, biologic and natural resource damage and are also a threat to Texas waterways and ecosystems as their numbers rapidly increase.