A group of state agencies is working together to host multiple workshops around the state to help landowners address the issues that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems and the health of humans and animals. 

a sounder of wild pigs - brown pigs varying in age against a fall colored field
Controlling feral hogs around the state will be the topic of workshops in Wilbarger, Milan, Williamson and Nueces counties. (Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute photo)

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, TSSWCB, is partnering with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, NRCS, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, APHIS; the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Districts, SWCD; the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, NRI; and the Texas Wildlife Services to offer resources through the Feral Swine Control Pilot Program.

More than just a nuisance

Feral swine are a threat to waterways and ecosystems as their numbers rapidly increase daily across the state. Texas is a private-land state, with 83% of its land mass in family owned farms, ranches and forests, making education and awareness of wild pig damage a priority for maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Providing learning opportunities to landowners about effective management strategies remains crucial to the success of abating damages associated with these feral swine.

The Feral Swine Control Pilot Program consists of a “smart trap” loan program, educational and outreach activities, and direct-control activities by APHIS. Landowners in participating counties may be eligible to use a feral swine smart trap on their property through the SWCD trap loan program or receive direct control through APHIS.

The Texas Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program activities are funded through a USDA-NRCS grant and administered by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.

Workshop times and locations

Landowners interested in participating in a feral swine workshop and training to learn more about effective management practices and to become familiar with smart-trapping techniques can join the following workshops.

— Wilbarger County — Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Wilbarger County Exhibit Building, 2215 Harold St., Vernon. For more information, contact Langdon Reagan, AgriLife Extension agent for Wilbarger County at [email protected].

— Milam County — Sept. 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cameron Youth Expo Building at 301 S. Houston St., Cameron. For more information, contact Floyd Ingram, AgriLife Extension agent for Milam County, at [email protected].

— Williamson County — Sept. 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Georgetown Annex Building, 100 Wilco Way, Suite HR, Georgetown. For more information, contact Gary Pastushok, AgriLife Extension agent for Williamson County at [email protected].

— Nueces County — Oct. 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Johnny Caledron Building, 710 E. Main St. Suite 1, Robstown. For more information, contact Jaime Lopez, AgriLife Extension agent for Nueces County at [email protected].

For more information, visit the TSSWCB website to see upcoming workshops for project areas at https://www.tsswcb.texas.gov/feral-swine-texas.

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