Non-native invasive feral swine represent a critical natural resource management crisis confronting agricultural producers, property owners, and regulatory agencies responsible for safeguarding farming operations and environmental resources throughout the United States. With agricultural damage costs reaching billions of dollars per year, coupled with the difficulty of controlling this invasive species, feral swine have become a national issue over the last several decades. Feral swine impacts extend far beyond agricultural losses to encompass food safety concerns, contamination of water resources, displacement of native animal species, and pathogen transmission risks to livestock and humans. This comprehensive threat profile has prompted an expanding alliance of landowners, governmental entities, and conservation organizations to launch aggressive population control and eradication initiatives.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension collaborated to produce the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) feral swine preliminary and final reports as part of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Program. “USDA NRCS Feral Swine Damage Assessment Preliminary Findings” and “USDA Feral Swine Eradication & Control Pilot Program Final Report” reflect Extension’s involvement in assembling and communicating program outcomes for USDA NRCS at the national level. Through this work, Alabama Extension and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension strengthened federal-state collaboration and helped advance efforts to protect agricultural resources, property, and ecosystems affected by feral swine.

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These publications are jointly published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. The USDA NRCS hosts these publications online. Visit the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program web page at nrcs.usda.gov to read these publications in their entirety. PDF downloads of these reports are also available below.

Mark W. Smith, Professor, Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment, Auburn University

New March 2023, USDA NRCS Feral Swine Damage Assessment Preliminary Findings, FOR-2112

New July 2025, USDA Feral Swine Eradication & Control Pilot Program Final Report, FOR-2165