YOUR TEXAS AGRICULTURE MINUTE

Hog bait poised for experimental use study

Gary Joiner
Publisher

The experimental use of a new tool in the fight against wild pigs is one step closer to reality.

Budget writers in Austin have approved a rider that allows an experimental use program on the hog bait Kaput. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) would work with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and landowners to test the product for effectiveness for up to two years.

If the research proves the hog bait is effective, TDA can move forward with registering the product.

The state’s two-year budget still awaits full legislative approval and the governor’s signature, but the rider is in place. That’s good news for Texas farmers, ranchers and landowners who are desperate to control wild pigs on their property.

Funding for the experimental use program, if approved, becomes available in September.

Wild pigs are a big problem in rural areas of the state. The invasive species is also impacting many suburban areas.

Research on the hog bait gives landowners hope that more control tools could be on the horizon. Not a moment too soon.

The preceding commentary is brought to you by Texas Farm Bureau, the “Voice of Texas Agriculture.” Called “Your Texas Agriculture Minute,” TFB will issue thought-provoking editorials each week—via print and audio—to spark understanding of agriculture in the Lone Star State and its impact on each and every Texan.

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