Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board Awarded Funds to Combat Feral Swine Across Texas

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) has been selected to lead three projects across nine counties in Texas as part of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. The projects aim to reduce feral swine populations, minimize damage to agricultural lands, and equip Texas landowners with the knowledge and resources needed for long-term management.

The three projects will serve Baylor, Brown, Coleman, Fannin, Haskell, Knox, Lamar, Runnels, and Red River counties. Over the five-year project period, TSSWCB and project partners anticipate working with approximately 900 agricultural producers and impacting nearly 2.7 million acres of working lands across the nine counties.

Feral swine continue to pose significant challenges to Texas agriculture and natural resources. Their presence can result in extensive damage to crops, pastures, and agricultural infrastructure, while also contributing to soil erosion, declining water quality, and habitat degradation.

Through these projects, TSSWCB will work collaboratively with USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (AgriLife Extension), Texas A&M AgriLife Research (AgriLife Research), USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Wildlife Services and the Texas Wildlife Damage Management Association (TWDMA) to implement coordinated, science-based management strategies. The projects will focus on reducing feral swine populations to levels that can be effectively managed by trained and equipped local landowners.

By providing practical information, technical assistance, and coordinated management efforts, the initiative seeks to empower agricultural producers to address feral swine challenges while protecting the long-term productivity and sustainability of their land.

The Texas projects are among 29 partnership projects selected across 13 states, representing a $51.9 million investment by USDA. These awards are part of a broader $105 million investment in the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, with funding provided through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act.

“Feral swine continue to be a costly challenge for Texas agricultural producers, threatening both their livelihoods and the natural resources they work to protect,” said TSSWCB Executive Director, Kendria Ray. “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.”

Since 2020, NRCS has invested $92.9 million in 63 projects through the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. Nationwide, these efforts have assisted more than 6,700 landowners across nearly 9 million acres and supported more than 800 educational events focused on trapping techniques and feral swine management.

The TSSWCB remains committed to working alongside federal, state, and local conservation partners to support Texas agricultural producers and protect the state's valuable soil and water resources. Through collaborative efforts such as the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, the agency continues to advance voluntary conservation practices that benefit landowners, agricultural operations, and natural resources across Texas.

For additional information about the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, visit USDA-NRCS's program webpage.

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