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The impact that feral hogs have on agriculture is somewhat easier to financially quantify than some of the other impact categories, but estimates can still vary widely. A 2020 study analyzing damages to crops across 12 states known to have feral hog populations, estimated that feral hog damage resulted in $272 million in losses to crop production in a single year. A study from 2021 in Texas found that impacts to individual producers can costs upwards of two hundred thousand dollars annually when losses, management efforts, and lost opportunities are all taken into account.
The feral hogs foraging behavior can cause several direct impacts to crop production. Rooted areas can cause loss of harvestable crops, seeds and seedlings can be consumed during foraging, and irrigation systems can be damaged by rooting or wallowing. Indirectly, heavily rooted areas with rough terrain can slow down harvest equipment which requires more fuel and can cause additional wear and tear to equipment. There are also financial losses due to selecting a crop less likely to be damaged. Producers may elect to plant a less productive or less profitable crop in an area that has large quantities of hog damage, to avoid the potential damage associated with a more desirable crop such as corn.
There can also be impacts to livestock production efforts that overlap with the range of feral hogs. The rooting behavior of feral hogs can damage pastures and sometimes facilitate weed encroachment. The loss of grazing opportunity can directly contribute to production loses or repair costs. Additionally, feral hogs can cause conflicts for supplemental feeding efforts by consuming the feed intended for livestock. Feral hogs can also impact the health of livestock populations through the potential transmission of diseases. While the impact of hog borne diseases can be hard to quantify, the costs of additional vaccines is can add up quickly for producers. Finally, feral hogs can impact livestock populations through outright predation and have been documented predating young goats, sheep, and in some cases, young calves.