COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri will receive $5.4 million for three projects aimed at removing feral hogs and repairing the damage they leave on agricultural land.
USDA announced the awards Nov. 3 through its Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program. The Missouri Department of Conservation will lead all three projects.
The Ozark Highlands project receives $2,233,608. Missouri Lakes receives $1,713,453, while the White River project receives $1,405,500.
Funding will support landowner assistance with trapping, restoration and related training. MDC will coordinate the work with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Missouri’s awards are part of $51.9 million for 29 projects across 13 states. The funding comes from the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and falls within a broader $105 million investment in the pilot program.
USDA says the animals threaten agricultural land, water quality and livestock health. Since 2020, NRCS has invested $92.9 million in 63 projects, assisting more than 6,700 landowners on nearly 9 million acres.
For Missouri landowners, the damage can extend beyond lost crops. MDC says rooting and wallowing tear up hay fields, disturb soil and contribute to erosion. Hogs also compete with native wildlife for food.
The department urges people to report sightings instead of shooting individual hogs. Shooting can scatter a group and make coordinated trapping more difficult. Removing an entire group, known as a sounder, is the goal.
Landowners can report feral hog sightings or damage to MDC at 573-522-4115, extension 3296. The department works with property owners to develop removal plans.
Photo: USDA NRCS file photograph of feral swine.
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