The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Wildlife Services (APHIS-WS) have collaborated on the first-ever comprehensive study of feral swine effects on U.S. agriculture.
Data collection phase of the study has concluded and are now moving to the analysis phase of the study. The initial results show that for respondents in the states surveyed who grew crops in 2014, 34 percent reported feral swine being present in at least one of their fields. Of those operators with feral swine present, 89 percent reported damages caused by feral swine.
During the data collection phase, NASS surveyed more than 10,800 farmers across 11 states (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas). The survey asked crop producers if they had noticed signs of feral swine in and around their crops and livestock, and if there were any crop or livestock losses attributed to those feral swine.
During the analysis phase APHIS-WS researchers will statistically evaluate the data to determine what future steps are necessary to address feral swine problems and report on additional results when analysis is concluded.
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