USDA Directs Major Funding Toward Feral Swine Control in NC and SC

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is steering a significant portion of its newly announced $35 million feral swine initiative toward the Carolinas, where the invasive animals continue to cause escalating damage to cropland, forests, and rural communities.

The funding is part of a larger $105 million expansion of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, a joint effort between USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The program targets states facing the highest levels of feral swine activity — a list that includes both North Carolina and South Carolina, where producers have reported steady increases in crop losses and habitat destruction.

NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley said the expanded investment is made possible through the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and is aimed at giving landowners more tools to protect their operations.

“These invasive species cause more than $3.4 billion in damage each year,” Buckley said. “This expansion gives producers and partners more resources to protect working lands and strengthen long-term resilience.”

Growing impact in the Carolinas

Feral swine have become a persistent threat in southeastern North Carolina and across much of rural South Carolina. Local agriculture officials say the animals are now regularly damaging corn, soybean, and peanut fields, tearing up pastureland, and disrupting timber stands. Wildlife managers also warn of increasing risks to native species and water quality.

The animals carry diseases that can spread to livestock and, in some cases, humans — a concern for hog producers and cattle operations throughout the region.

How the funding will be used

Partners selected for the program in NC and SC will work directly with landowners to:

• Provide on‑farm trapping assistance
• Restore damaged cropland and habitat
• Offer training on feral swine control techniques
• Coordinate efforts with NRCS and APHIS for broader eradication work

Funding will be distributed through NRCS grant agreements.

Previous results

From 2020 to 2024, USDA invested $41 million in feral swine projects across 12 states. Those efforts assisted more than 6,700 landowners and covered nearly 9 million acres, including several pilot areas in the Southeast. More than 800 training events were held to help producers learn effective trapping and control methods.

Applications open now

Organizations interested in partnering on feral swine projects in North Carolina or South Carolina have until September 21, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET to apply. Details are available on Grants.gov.

NRCS says the expanded program is designed to build long-term resilience for farms, ranches, and forestland — and to help producers in the Carolinas push back against one of the region’s most destructive invasive species.