NRCS announces incentive program for feral swine management

Jan. 24, 2018

LITTLE ROCK – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service State Conservationist Mike Sullivan has announced producers in 10 Arkansas counties can sign up for a feral swine management program for funding consideration through Feb. 23, 2018.

The program is a multi-partner collaboration geared towards addressing resource issues caused by feral swine.

Arkansas landowners and agricultural producers in Arkansas, Ashley, Baxter, Desha, Drew, Izard, Sebastian, Searcy, Sevier and Yell counties can sign up for the project through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.

The interim feral swine management conservation activity will aid with monitoring expenses. Other conservation practices include conservation cover, critical area planting, tree/shrub site preparation and establishment, forage and biomass planting, streambank and shoreline protection, upland wildlife habitat management, restoration of rare or declining natural communities, wetland wildlife management, early successional habitat development, wetland restoration and wetland enhancement.

NRCS’s role in the program is limited to determining the impacts upon natural resources, developing a management plan to address the impacted resources and evaluating the effectiveness of a practice in reducing the impacted resource. NRCS will not provide assistance for trapping, euthanizing, or disposal of the feral swine.  This role will be fulfilled by other partners or agencies.

All eligible applications will be evaluated for funding based on state and nationally developed criteria to optimize environmental benefits by April 6, 2018.  Applications ranking highest in a funding category will be selected for funding, subject to availability of program funds, no later than May 1, 2018.  Interested producers should visit their nearest USDA Service Center.