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Feral pigs cause $3.4bn damage yearly in US; $51.9m pledged for removal

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The USDA's multi-agency pilot program leverages joint resources from APHIS, which handles direct swine elimination, and the NRCS, which assists private landowners with trapping gear and technical restoration guidance. Across 13 participating states, large-scale projects will cover millions of acres, including an expansive 16.6-million-acre push spanning 27 parishes in Louisiana. Funded via the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, this latest allocation expands on federal pilot initiatives that have already deployed nearly $93 million since 2020.

Key points

  • The USDA is deploying nearly $52 million across 29 partner projects to mitigate widesprea…: The USDA is deploying nearly $52 million across 29 partner projects to mitigate widespread environmental and agricultural destruction.
  • NRCS provides landowners with technical assistance, training, and specialized trapping to…: NRCS provides landowners with technical assistance, training, and specialized trapping tools while APHIS manages direct wildlife removal operations.
  • The investment builds upon $92.9 million previously funneled into 63 pilot projects under…: The investment builds upon $92.9 million previously funneled into 63 pilot projects under the eradication program since 2020.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Feral pigs have become a costly problem across the United States, damaging agricultural land, destroying natural habitats and threatening livestock and human health. Their habit of digging through soil in search of food can ruin crops, disturb vegetation and damage water resources, leaving farmers and landowners with expensive restoration work. The animals also carry diseases that can spread to livestock and people, adding to the challenges of controlling their growing populations.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on November 3, 2026, that it had awarded $51.9 million to 29 partnership projects across 13 states to combat the invasive animals. According to the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the funding will support coordinated trapping, removal, land restoration and training for landowners. The announcement, published on the NRCS website, is part of a broader $105 million investment in the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, jointly implemented by NRCS and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

Feral pigs cause billions of dollars in annual damage

Feral swine, also known as wild pigs, wild hogs and wild boars,…

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