Feral swine cause estimated $50 million in damages to Alabama every year
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and a bipartisan group of colleagues in reintroducing theFeral Swine Eradication Act, which would extend and make permanent a pilot program to safeguard public health, agriculture, and local ecosystems against the threat of feral swine:
“Feral swine are a serious threat to the livelihoods of Alabama’s farmers. Feral hogs destroy crops, land, and undo months, if not years, of work by our farmers to feed our country,” said Sen. Tuberville.“Feral swine cause an estimated $50 million in damages annually to Alabama. Despite eradication efforts, the pigs are still running rampant throughout the South. And so today, I’m standing with Alabama farmers and taking action to fight back against this threat.”
“Feral hogs can inflict serious economic and environmental damage to our agricultural communities by destroying crops, trampling farmland, and threatening other livestock,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would support our farmers, ranchers, and producers in Texas and across the country by promoting removal and restoration efforts to mitigate the risk posed by this invasive species.”
Also joining Senators Tuberville and Cornyn in introducing the legislation are U.S. SenatorsBen Ray Luján (D-NM), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA). Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL) is once again leading the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Bill text of the legislation can be found here.
BACKGROUND:
There are approximately six million feral hogs across the United States, which cause more than $2.5 billion in damages across the country each year, with $50 million in damages in Alabama specifically. The Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) was established in the 2018 Farm Bill to respond to rampant feral swine outbreaks and was implemented by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS). This program included feral swine removal by APHIS, restoration efforts supported by NRCS, and assistance to producers for feral swine control through grants with non-federal partners. NRCS and APHIS successfully carried out these pilot projects in ten states, including in Alabama.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.
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