Local Land Services’ success in tackling feral pigs

The state government’s feral pig control program has culled 33,277 feral pigs in just four months, making it one of the largest feral pig programs in the nation’s history.

Already 2035 property owners across NSW have participated in the government’s $13 million Feral Pig Program, working with Local Land Services to target pest populations.

As reported by The Courier in late 2023, Wee Waa’s Bec Gray was appointed as the NSW feral pig coordinator, playing an important role in leading a program that aims to reduce the explosion in feral pig numbers and stop the devastation they cause the agricultural sector and the environment.

Central to the program’s effort is the three priority control zones along western NSW where baiting, trapping and shooting, have been expanded and intensified.

Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the government is taking action to address biosecurity problems with funding, plus establishing both the state’s first biosecurity commissioner, and first feral pig coordinator.

“Farmer feedback on our $13 million NSW government investment into the feral pig program has been positive and 2035 farmers are involved in the program,” Ms Moriarty said.

Local Land Services feral pig coordinator Bec Gray. Ms Gray, who grew up in Wee Waa, was appointed as the state’s first feral pig coordinator last year to lead a $13 million program to control the pests.

“We now have one of the largest coordinated feral pig control programs ever, supporting farmers on the ground to reduce the impacts of pest animals.

“Tackling the feral pig problem requires government and farmers to work side by side, and the government is making sure this program is doing exactly that.”

A critical part of the feral pig program has been equipping farmers with the tools, education and support needed to get on top of the problem, the NSW government said.

Local Land Services staff offer on the ground support in paddocks as well as at community and industry events.

Farmers and land managers are being urged to continue to work with Local Land Services and their neighbours to focus on ongoing control efforts. This should include a combination of methods such as baiting, trapping and shooting to ensure best results are achieved.

In the North West, feral pigs have caused substantial losses to farmers in recent years.

North West Local Land Services commissioned AgEcon to conduct a survey of farmers in the region, looking at the financial impact pigs had on the winter of 2020 and the summer 2020-21 crops.

The survey revealed the financial loss pigs caused to farmers in the North West for that period was more than $47 million.

Approximately 132,000 tons of grain, 15,000 bales of cotton and 11,000 lambs were destroyed by pigs, with pigs present on 90 per cent of properties surveyed, a total area of 543,644 hectares.