TUBERVILLE, COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE BILL TO PROTECT FARMS FROM FERAL HOGS

“I’m standing with Alabama farmers and taking action to fight back against this threat.”

 U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) today joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce theFeral Swine Eradication Act. The legislation would extend and make permanent a pilot program to safeguard public health, agriculture, and local ecosystems against the threat of feral swine.

“Feral swine are a serious threat to the livelihoods of Alabama’s farmers. Feral hogs destroy crops, land, and undo months, if not years, of work by our farmers to feed our country,” said Senator Tuberville. “Over the past five years, feral swine have impacted more than 173,000 acres in Alabama. Yet, the pigs are still running rampant throughout the South. And so today, I’m standing with Alabama farmers and taking action to fight back against this threat.”

The legislation has been endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation.

“Feral swine continue to be a plague on farms all over Alabama, causing both economic and ecological damage,” said Jimmy Parnell, president and CEO of the Alabama Farmers Federation. “We appreciate Coach Tuberville’s efforts to make permanent a pilot program that has yielded good results in Alabama and other states. While progress has been made there is still work to be done, and this bill will allow USDA to continue and expand upon the work done thus far.”

U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Ben Ray Luján (D-MN) are also original cosponsors of the bill.

As Alabama’s voice on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Senator Tuberville is committed to supporting Alabama’s farmers and producers.

BACKGROUND

There are approximately six million feral hogs across the United States, which cause more than $1.5 billion in damages each year. The Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program (FSCP) was established in the 2018 Farm Bill to respond to rampant feral swine outbreaks and was implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS).

This program included feral swine removal by APHIS, restoration efforts supported by NRCS, and assistance to producers for feral swine control through grants with non-federal partners. NRCS and APHIS successfully carried out these pilot projects in ten states.

Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.