APHIS Adopts Feral Swine Damage Management Program

August 12, 2015 — 

Due to the growing threats from feral swine, Congress has appropriated funds and directed APHIS to implement a national program to manage feral swine damage. The approach selected will serve as the guide for allocation of APHIS resources and for working with cooperators to meet Feral Swine Damage Management (FSDM) program objectives.

After consideration of a number of options, APHIS will adopt an integrated FSDM program wherein APHIS would serve as the lead agency in a nationally coordinated cooperative effort with other agency partners, tribes, organizations, and local entities. In states,territories and tribal lands where management authorities have a goal to eliminate feral swine (generally in areas with low or moderate feral swine populations), APHIS would form partnerships to meet the local governments’ management objectives and reduce the size and range of the U.S. feral swine population. In states, territories and tribal lands where management authorities have chosen to seek to balance the desire for feral swine for cultural or recreational purposes (usually areas with large or well established feral swine populations) with the need to minimize feral swine damage, APHIS would form partnerships to meet locally determined management objectives. These objectives may include reducing statewide populations or eliminating swine from specific locations.

The key program components are threefold:

1. Improved baseline operational capacity to respond to local needs for FSDM, including improved infrastructure (e.g., personnel, equipment) and increased cost-share opportunities with partner agencies, tribes and others.
2. National projects including strategic allocation of resources to reduce the range and size of the national feral swine population, increased research, modeling and risk analysis,national outreach and education program, and national coordination with Canada and Mexico.
3. Strategic projects at the local level to address specific vulnerable areas.