Mississippi North and South Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program Project
The Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program responds to the threat feral swine pose to American agriculture, landscapes and human and livestock health.
Project Area
The South Central Pascagoula River basin within Perry, Greene, and George counties will be the main project area of South Mississippi. According to the 2022 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Census, there are approximately 1,158 farms consisting of 170,914 acres within these three counties. Agriculture is a vital part of the economy in these counties primarily revolving around cattle, poultry, hay production, vegetable, and row crops (corn, soybeans, cotton, and peanuts). Peanut production in this area is one of the largest in the state, having consistent high yields due to the ideal sandy soil this area offers. These three counties lie within the Mississippi “Pine Belt” and are a major economic force in harvesting the Southern Yellow Pine.
The Hatchie River bottom within Alcorn, Tippah and Prentiss counties will be the main project area of North Mississippi. According to the 2022 USDA Agricultural Census, there are approximately 1,256 farms consisting of 307,256 acres within these three counties. While the farmland is utilized for row crops (72%) and livestock/poultry (28%), the surrounding areas of the Hatchie River bottom are largely comprised of mixed hardwood forests and wetlands rich in biodiversity.
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Anticipated Partner Activities
The partner is expected to:
- Identify private landowners and farm operators in the project area seeking assistance with feral swine management.
- Identify private landowners and farm operators in the project area with feral swine damage.
- Establish long-term trap loan program to begin after the formal project is complete for landowners, farm operators, and land managers that participate in at least one trap training session to use the trap equipment purchased through this project.
- Assist private landowners, farm operators, and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Wildlife Services staff with trapping of feral swine.
APHIS will be considered the subject matter experts for implementing feral swine removal and damage reduction activities. Partners will need to collaborate with APHIS personnel when removal activities are requested by participating landowners. All projects will be a collaborative and coordinated effort between the selected partner, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and APHIS. It is required that APHIS maintains operational control of feral swine management activities.
Monitoring/Evaluation Requirements of Partner
Feral swine detection and monitoring will be conducted prior to removal efforts and after removal efforts have been completed. Presence/absence surveys will be completed annually. Track surveys will be utilized for row crop project areas while camera surveys will be ideal for wooded project areas.
Partners are required to collect standardized information for trapping operations in accordance with APHIS procedures. Examples of data collected include trap location, number of pigs trapped, location of nearby resources, etc.
Training Expectations
Education will be essential aspects of the project to ensure landowners are educated on the need for removing feral swine, approved techniques, and methods for controlling feral swine populations. Partners are expected to assist with training and educational activities.