Journal of NACAA

Monetary Estimates of Feral Hog Damage to Agricultural Producers in Louisiana

ISSN 2158-9429

Volume 8, Issue 2 - December 2015

Editor: Bindu Poudel

Abstract

A survey was developed to elicit damage estimates from agricultural producers related to feral hog activity in each of the state’s 64 parishes of Louisiana. Surveys were mailed to over 4,000 agricultural producers and landowners with 1,223 useable responses. Survey respondents identified $4.1 million in production losses and an additional $1.2 in increased costs of production and infrastructure damage due to feral hogs during the 2013 calendar year. Survey responses were combined with published data on the size of the agricultural industry in Louisiana in 2013 to develop statewide estimates of the impact of feral hogs. Results suggest that feral hogs caused $53 million dollar in production losses and an additional $21 million in increased costs for a total economic impact of $74 million to the state’s agricultural sector in 2013.