A federal agency gives an update on its efforts to control feral hogs in Oklahoma.
Scott Alls is the state director of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services. He spoke today at a USDA consult with tribes.
Alls said 78% of his department’s work deals with feral hog management, and though the pandemic has hampered efforts at public outreach, they’ve captured more swine this year than they did last year.
“We’re already about 2,000 hogs ahead of where we were at the end of last year. We’re making good strides.”
Alls said the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, established by the 2018 Farm Bill, is in its second year.
The project is active in Cotton, Tillman, Harmon, Roger Mills, Beckham, Kay, Osage and Pawnee counties.
“There’s been a lot of questions about our pilot project and why these areas were picked,” said Alls.
Alls said the idea was to start in areas where the hog population wasn’t healthy or able to replenish itself quickly from neighboring populations.
Alls said 15,000 pigs have been removed under the project, and changes will come with the next piece of legislation.
“As we move forward, and into the next Farm Bill, there will be changes in the way this program is set up and implemented. Everyone just hang on a year or two and we will know a lot more about it.”
Alls also said the USDA has started a program to expedite permits for the removal of black vultures from agricultural land.