By Andi Anderson
New Ohio House legislation, House Bill 503, seeks to curb the spread of invasive feral swine due to the damage they cause and the potential for disease spread.
Feral swine, also known as wild pigs or feral hogs, have been a problem in Ohio for about three decades.
These animals, which can grow to weigh hundreds of pounds, breed rapidly and have no natural predators, causing significant damage to crops, property, farmland, and wild terrain, especially in Southeastern Ohio counties.
The exact number of feral swine in Ohio is unknown, but they are currently found in Adams, Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Scioto, and Vinton counties, according to state Rep. Bob Peterson, a Fayette County Republican co-sponsoring the bill.
House Bill 503, currently under review by the Ohio House Agriculture Committee, proposes several measures:
Ban the import or possession of feral swine or wild boar in Ohio.
Prohibit their release into the wild.
Make it illegal to feed them.
Violating these rules could result in significant penalties, including up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for importing or possessing feral swine. Violators of the release and feeding bans could face 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Ohio law already allows people with a hunting license to kill feral swine year-round. HB503 would go further by allowing landowners or their representatives to immediately kill feral swine or wild boars on their property without needing a license, provided they report it to state officials and follow state rules for handling and disposal.
People aware of feral swine on public or private property would be required to notify state wildlife officials within 24 hours.
HB503 would prohibit feeding any swine in Ohio, including domesticated pigs, with waste meat. Currently, Ohioans can feed such meat, termed "garbage" in state law, if they treat it first and obtain a $100-per-year license from the state Department of Agriculture.
Rep. Bob Peterson and co-sponsor Rep. Don Jones of Harrison County emphasize the need for this bill to prevent the spread of feral swine in Ohio.
They highlight that feral swine can carry 30 different diseases dangerous to livestock and humans, including African swine fever, which could devastate the U.S. pork industry if it appears.
“These are not the typical, everyday pigs we see at our county fairs,” Peterson said in his committee testimony. “These animals are a nuisance to landowners and a threat to Ohio’s pork economy.”
Prominent agricultural groups in Ohio, including the Ohio Farm Bureau, the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association, and organizations representing the state's pork, dairy, beef, sheep, poultry, and soybean industries, support HB503.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-seastock
Categories: Ohio, Livestock