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Feral Swine Trap Loan Program Available to Landowners in Comanche, Eastland and Erath Counties

TEMPLE — The United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) awarded more than $1.4 million to the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) to fund pilot projects to control feral swine in Texas.

The projects are a part of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program which is a joint effort between USDA-NRCS and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to help address the issues that feral swine pose to agriculture, ecosystems as well as human and animal health.

TSSWCB is working in partnership with the Upper Leon and Cross Timbers Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), USDA-NRCS, APHIS, Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI) and the Texas Wildlife Damage Management Association to administer the Feral Swine Control Pilot Program (FSCPP) in the Upper Leon Project area. FSCPP consists of a “smart trap” loan program, as well as educational and outreach activities.

Feral swine cause a high level of economic, biologic and natural resource damage. The species are also a threat to Texas waterways and ecosystems as their numbers rapidly increase. Texas is a private-land state, with 83 percent of its land mass in family-owned farms, ranches and forests. Consequently, providing learning opportunities to landowners about effective management strategies remains crucial to the success of abating damages associated with feral swine.

Landowners in the following counties may be eligible to utilize a feral swine smart trap on their property through the trap loan program. The Upper Leon River project area encompasses Eastland, Comanche, and Erath counties, which are under the direction of the Cross Timbers and Upper Leon Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

For landowners in Erath County interested in participating, contact the Cross Timbers SWCD at 254-965-3715 ext. 3 or the Trap Loan Technician at david [dot] r [dot] pipkin [at] usda [dot] gov () or 254-485-7867.

For landowners in Eastland and Comanche counties interested in participating, contact the Upper Leon SWCD at 325-356-5186 ext. 3 or the Trap Loan Technician at david [dot] r [dot] pipkin [at] usda [dot] gov () or 254-485-7867.

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