Mike Pearson tells listeners about the potential for a feral swine population explosion in the United States, the "Feral Swine Bomb."

Wild hogs have been causing problems on land for over 500 years since their introduction. However, they are now spreading.

In 2020, a study showed $272 million in crop damages alone and some estimates are $2.5 billion in total agriculture losses.

Louisiana reports the most damage with $90 million in damages there alone. Farmers have reported a 70 percent increase in sightings and damage on farms from feral hogs.

However, in order to gain control of the situation, hunters would need to kill 70 percent of the feral hog herd a year. This is because a mother hog can have two litters a year with 12 piglets in each litter.

The feral hogs are moving north, in part due to canned hunts.

In Ohio, last week, the Ohio House of Representatives banned importation of feral swine in Ohio and prohibit the ownership of feral hogs. Feral hogs can carry 30 diseases and 40 different parasites.

Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness.