USDA is fighting back against the negative impact of feral swine in the U.S. by making $35 million available for partnerships to protect American agriculture, landscapes and human and livestock health from these pests.
This is just a part of a broader $105 million investment for the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program led by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Working Families Tax Cuts Act delivers the largest long-term investment in NRCS conservation programs in decades, USDA notes, including support for this program. The legislation extends the program for another five years with a $105 million total investment split between NRCS and APHIS.
“We are collaborating with our partners at USDA and across the country to help combat feral swine and keep our farms, ranches and landscapes safe,” NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley says in a release. “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 able to expand this effort, giving producers and partners more resources to protect working lands and strengthen the long-term resilience of agricultural operations.”
Applications are available for feral swine eradication and control projects in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Applications are open through Sept. 21.
“Feral swine can have significant negative impacts on plant and wildlife habitats, soils, water quality, as well as other natural resources,” USDA says. “Livestock and humans are also susceptible to diseases carried by feral swine.”
For example, pseudorabies (PRV) remains endemic in feral swine populations, but has been eradicated from the domestic herd in the U.S. The April 30 confirmed detection of PRV involving five boars in a small commercial herd in Iowa is suspected to have been introduced via animals purchased from an outdoor facility in Texas, where the herd had potential contact with infected feral swine.
“Pseudorabies is still found in wild or feral swine populations, which remain a potential threat of exposure for domestic pigs,” APHIS shared. Feral swine are known to carry at least 30 viral and bacterial diseases and nearly 40 parasites that can be transmitted to humans, pets, livestock and other wildlife.
Partners selected to participate in the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program will provide landowner assistance for restoration and on-farm trapping efforts and provide related services such as training. Funding for these services will be provided through grant agreements between partners and NRCS. All projects will be a collaborative and coordinated effort among the selected partner, NRCS and APHIS.
NRCS invested $41 million in 34 projects across 12 states from 2020 to 2024. During that time, Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program projects provided assistance to more than 6,700 landowners on almost 9 million acres to help reduce feral swine damage. More than 800 events related to teaching trapping techniques to landowners were conducted.
For more information about this funding opportunity and to apply, visit the notice of funding on Grants.gov.
