REGINA — The Government Saskatchewan has committed to increased measures to help control the population of feral pigs in the province, a long-standing concern of rural landowners, farmers and livestock producers.
Premier Scott Moe announced the new regulations during his address at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual convention on March 16 in Regina.
Wild boars, or feral pigs, will soon be categorized as a regulated pest under the Pest Control Act, allowing for certain monitoring and control efforts, like the use of poison. The classification would also specify a public obligation to report wild boar populations.
The classification follows repeated calls from rural landowners and advocate groups, including SARM, for a collaborative solution addressing the wild boar problem in Saskatchewan.
Wild boars have been identified as an invasive species, causing problems for residents including crop damage, livestock harassment and potential disease spread — including African swine fever.
“They create a host of problems, wherever they arrive,” said Moe, during his conference address.
Agriculture Minister David Marit said the new classification is a proactive measure from the ministry, to “help ensure the health of both the agriculture industry and natural environment.”
In addition to the pest regulations, Moe said that annual funding for the Feral Wild Boar Control Program, operated through the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, will be doubled in this year’s coming budget to $200,000.
The program focuses on surveillance and eradication efforts of wild boars in the province, which have established numbers in several regions of the province.
Moe also declared a moratorium on all new wild boar farms in the province, to curb the numbers of feral pigs present in Saskatchewan.
Regulation is underway to do so, which will also introduce licensing requirements for commercial wild boar farms moving forward. Existing operations will be grandfathered in, said Moe.
“All of these [changes] amount to a very serious effort that we hope will help you control the wild boar population that we have in our province,” said Moe.
The premier said the government intends to review the effectiveness of the new regulations within a few months, to consider necessary adjustments.
