Wild Pigs Cost Mississippi Farmers Millions Annually Despite State Trapping Efforts

Feral pigs are inflicting staggering losses on Mississippi farms—estimated between $60 million to $80 million annually—with their reach and destruction increasing across the U.S. Since the 1980s, their spread has nearly doubled from 17 to 35 states, making them one of the most costly invasive species for American landowners. For insurance claims professionals, this growing threat poses complex challenges in assessing farm damage, evaluating policy exclusions, and supporting mitigation strategies.

A recent study from Mississippi State University revealed that individual landowners can experience up to $20,000 in annual hog-related losses. The research found that investing in dedicated trapping programs yields savings of $300 to $4,000 per pig annually. While electric fences and traps can help, the high costs—estimated at $200 per pig if fully outsourced—are not feasible for all property owners, creating new insurance implications.

Mississippi’s first-in-the-nation wild hog control program, launched in 2020, offers limited resources such as smart traps and cameras to a select group of applicants. But with a modest annual budget of $183,000 and limited staffing, the program is not yet equipped to solve the problem statewide. For adjusters, this reality means more frequent and larger claims related to crop destruction, fence damage, and even equipment degradation due to wildlife interference.

The growing threat from wild pigs is more than an agricultural nuisance—it’s a rising risk factor in rural property and farm liability claims. Adjusters need to be aware of the local control efforts, costs associated with prevention and repair, and evolving claims patterns as the feral pig population continues to grow.