Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) is offering a cost share opportunity to Mississippi private land managers that are battling wild hogs on their property. The cost-share opportunity was made possible by a time-limited, federal appropriation to MDAC for expansion and support for its Wild Hog Control Program.

The most effective equipment used for the trapping of wild hogs will be the focus of this effort to remove these nuisance animals from private lands across the state. Through the cost share program, MDAC will provide technical guidance and monetary assistance for the most effective equipment and methods to trap wild hogs on private lands across Mississippi.

“Our goal is to provide one complete, remotely triggered trap for applicants within limits of the federal appropriation,” Gipson said. “This type of trap has been vital to the success of our existing Wild Hog Control Program which began in 2020. In addition to complete trap systems, trap components such as cameras, gates and panels will be eligible for funding.” The cost share application period will remain open Monday, July 17, through Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Private landowners and leaseholders in Mississippi will be eligible to apply.

Applications will be evaluated and ranked by MDAC based on property use, past and current wild hog damage, past trapping efforts and the type of trapping equipment requested. For selected applications, MDAC will reimburse the landowner or leaseholder for a percentage of the cost for purchasing trapping equipment.

Reimbursement payments will be provided on a 50 percent cost share basis and will be the lessor of either 50 percent of the applicant’s expenditure or a maximum of $5,000. Visit www.mdac.ms.gov/whcp/costshare to submit an application and to learn more about the cost share program.