USDA offers $35 million for feral-swine control in 14 states

With one week left before the deadline, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering $35 million in competitive grants for partnerships aimed at controlling feral swine in 14 states.

Applications for the Fiscal Year 2026 Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on September 21, 2026. The opportunity is part of a broader five-year, $105 million USDA investment involving the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

What the grants will fund

The funding is intended for coordinated projects that support restoration assistance, on-farm trapping, landowner assistance and related services such as training. It is not a nationwide eradication program.

The grant-funded work covers restoration and producer-assistance components of the pilot. APHIS will retain operational control of feral-swine management activities, including removal work. Projects are to be coordinated among selected partners, NRCS and APHIS.

The goal is to reduce damage to agricultural land and natural resources, including wetlands, waterways, forests and native wildlife habitat. USDA and APHIS identify feral swine as a threat to soils, water quality, plant and wildlife habitat, livestock and human safety.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants include nonprofits, federally recognized tribal governments and organizations, state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special districts, and public or private institutions of higher education.

The federal grant notice lists $35 million in program funding, about 25 expected awards and individual awards ranging from $75,000 to $3 million. Matching funds are required. NRCS says it may provide up to 75% of total project costs, with the remaining 25% supplied through partner matching funds.

The money would flow through grant agreements with selected partner organizations. It is not a direct payment program for individual landowners, although partners may provide landowner assistance as part of approved projects.

Where the work is planned

The participating states are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

USDA says projects are limited to pilot areas where feral swine have been identified as a threat and to locations with high feral-swine densities. NRCS has published proposed project areas in the participating states, but the grant opportunity does not make every county or habitat automatically eligible.

Why feral swine are a conservation issue

USDA says feral-swine damage and control costs total at least $3.4 billion annually in the United States. APHIS separately estimates that damage and control costs in the agricultural sector alone reach about $2.5 billion per year.

APHIS lists wetlands, waterways, delicate ecosystems and native wildlife habitat among the resources affected by feral swine. The animals’ rooting and feeding can disturb soil, damage vegetation, contribute to erosion and reduce habitat quality. APHIS also cites risks to human safety, including vehicle collisions.

Federal officials say effective management generally combines several methods, such as whole-sounder trapping, fencing, ground removal and aerial removal, depending on local conditions, regulations and feral-swine density.

What happens next

Organizations seeking funding must submit applications by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on September 21. USDA will review proposals before announcing selected partners and implementation details.

Residents in participating states could later see projects involving trapping, habitat restoration, landowner assistance or training in the designated project areas. The program is aimed at targeted control and damage reduction, not a claim that feral swine will be eliminated nationally.

Sources

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