Ohio Takes Action on Feral Swine

There was unanimous support in the Ohio House of Representatives for legislation to stop the transport of feral swine into the state. The legislation would also prohibit the ownership of feral swine for hunting.

The Ohio Pork Council (OPC) backed the legislation. The goal is to slow the reproduction of wild, destructive and potentially disease-carrying hogs that pose a threat to domestic hog production. OPC noted that many feral hogs had been intentionally transported into the state for hunting. This is not a hunting ban. Hunting feral pigs on private property would still be encouraged.

The USDA states feral hogs can now be found in over three-quarters of the country. There are an estimated 9 million feral hogs. They cause about $2.5 billion in agricultural damage each year.