ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota lawmakers have crafted a bill to deal with a threat that hasn't quite arrived yet but seems inevitable — wild hogs. They spread disease, damage crops and wreak havoc on the environment.
Eurasian Wild Boars and other feral pigs are a growing problem just across the border in Canada, with particularly heavy concentrations in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Rep. Rick Hansen's bill is designed to put rules in place ahead of the looming invasion.
It starts with making the Department of Natural Resources the main agency in charge of responding to reports of wild hogs, killing them and testing for diseases. That's one of the recommendations of an interim report by the DNR, based on public hearings last year.
"This bill is putting into law the recommendations from that report, centralizing the responsibility with the Department of Natural Resources," Rep. Hansen, a South Saint Paul Democrat, told KARE.
Hansen, who chairs the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee, said it was important to let Minnesotans know how to respond if they spot a feral pig and to understand how dangerous they can be.
"If the public believes it's a feral hog, or a wild boar, if they come across that in the country or the city too, they know to call the DNR."
He said Rep. John Burkel of Badger has a photo of a wild pig taken by a trail camera in Kittson County, so it's clear the hogs won't respect a national border.
"Hogs are very prolific breeders. They produce a lot of baby pigs, and you can have something get out of hand in a very short period of time and the consequences it has on the environment and with other wildlife is great," Hansen said.
Dave Mensink of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association testified in favor of Hansen's bill Wednesday in the environment committee.
"Feral or loose swine are known to carry disease and be aggressive and destructive to crops and the landscape and are notoriously difficult to manage if not dealt with swiftly," Mensink told lawmakers.
The legislation also adds new penalties for hog farmers that repeatedly lose pigs into the wild. Those escaped pigs can also adapt to the wild and grow new feral families.
"Fences don’t always hold pigs. We recognize that now most of your hog production is in a closed building so there’s fewer escapes, but they do occur and sometimes they persistently occur."
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