USDA's Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program is showing promising results for corn growers, according to a study published in the Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy journal.
Established in the 2018 farm bill, the program aims to remove feral swine, restore damaged farmland, and reduce crop and livestock losses caused by wild hogs. The $75 million program was launched in 2020 and initially tested in 20 counties across 11 southern states.
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Using USDA Risk Management Agency data from 2013 to 2022, the study found that, of all the crops measured, there was less damage from hogs to corn in counties using FSCP than in non-participating counties. FSCP counties also had fewer wildlife-related indemnity claims than non-FSCP counties.
This comes as crop insurance payments for wildlife damage rose from $15 million in 2012 to $39 million in 2022.
Feral swine are found in over 30 states and responsible for $800 million in damage annually.
The program was last expanded in 2021.
