By Julie Tomascik
Editor

Three new federally funded projects will help Texas farmers and ranchers combat feral hog populations and reduce damage to agricultural lands across nine counties.

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) will lead the projects through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program.

The three projects received a combined $6.2 million in federal funding to support feral hog control efforts in Baylor, Brown, Coleman, Fannin, Haskell, Knox, Lamar, Runnels and Red River counties.

Over the next five years, the projects are expected to assist about 900 agricultural producers and impact nearly 2.7 million acres of working lands.

Feral hogs cause extensive damage to crops, pastures and agricultural infrastructure. Their rooting and feeding activities also contribute to soil erosion, water quality concerns and wildlife habitat degradation.

“Feral swine continue to be a costly challenge for Texas agricultural producers, threatening both their livelihoods and the natural resources they work to protect,” TSSWCB Executive Director Kendria Ray said. “Through these projects, we look forward to providing landowners with the tools, resources and support needed to reduce feral swine populations and protect Texas working lands for generations to come.”

The pilot program combines feral hog removal efforts with assistance to restore damaged agricultural lands and resources to help producers manage populations. Participating landowners will receive technical assistance and educational resources to help manage feral hog populations.

The Texas projects are among 29 selected across 13 states as part of a $51.9 million USDA investment.

Since 2020, the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program has invested $92.9 million in 63 projects and assisted more than 6,700 landowners across nearly 9 million acres nationwide.

TSSWCB will work with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the Texas Wildlife Damage Management Association to implement the projects.

More information is available through USDA’s Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program.