Wild Pigs Are Costing Georgia Farmers

By Savannah Peat

UGA research reveals damage of invasive species and possible solutions

Weather, disease and pests aren’t the only things that can wreak havoc on Georgia’s agricultural industry. New University of Georgia research found wild pigs to be a startling cause of damage on farms and crops.

Researchers from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources say that these animals have the potential to create financial and environmental losses, but there are ways for farmers to minimize the damage.

“Unfortunately, these pigs and their impact go just beyond what you might think,” said Justine Smith, lead author of the study and a doctoral student at UGA. “They impact our native wildlife and plants, both directly and indirectly. They’re incredibly disruptive. They cause a lot of damage.”

Wild pigs run amok in rural areas, cost over $100K in damage

Wild pigs are an invasive species that were introduced in the United States since the 1500s. But their rampage on crops has increased over the last few decades.

“Think of a mouse or rabbit and how quickly and how much they reproduce. Now make that into a large mammal and introduce it to an area where there’s no natural predators except for people,” Smith said. “Wild pig populations basically just exploded, and it has been a growing problem ever since.”