08/16/07 Feral Swine Problem

Feral Swine Problem. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. Their numbers are still relatively low in Oregon, but feral swine represent a major threat to the state's economy and environment. Now, an action plan may give officials some direction on how to handle the invasive species. All told, there are about a thousand feral swine in various pockets of Oregon. State Veterinarian Don Hansen of the Oregon Department of Agriculture says there's an opportunity for keeping the menace from becoming overwhelming. HANSEN: We know there are groups along the southern coast, in counties along the southern coast. We know in central Oregon, there are small bands. But at the moment, the population appears to be, and people believe it to be, small enough so that it can be managed and eradicated. Hansen says the wild pigs can damage agricultural crops and cause all sorts of damage to native habitat. They also can be reservoirs of infectious disease. HANSEN: From the animal health side, we're concerned that they can contract and then transmit diseases which will affect domestic animals and, in some cases, maybe humans. Hansen says California did not eradicate feral swine when they had the chance a few decades ago, and now the pigs are in nearly every county of the state. He wants to avoid the same scenario in Oregon and supports elements of a feral swine action plan that ultimately advocates eradication through trapping and other lethal means. Some of that trapping is taking place this summer, but the plan will only be as effective as it is funded. Efforts to secure grants this fall could help. Hansen says Oregon has a chance to learn from California's mistakes and act promptly to address the feral pig issue while it still can. HANSEN: I would encourage a program that looks at eradicating the population. California chose to do something a little different from that. Now, because they didn't eradicate a population when perhaps they could have a few decades ago, now they have feral swine all over the state. Hansen says feral pigs in California were responsible for a highly publicized outbreak of food illnesses linked to tainted spinach. HANSEN: The recent case of E. coli O157 from the spinach, the contamination of that spinach is attributed to feral swine, fecal contamination from that group of animals. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.