Toxic Baits as a Strategy for Controlling Invasive Wild Pigs: Acceptability Among Crop Producers

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have become a pervasive issue in the United States, causing significant damage to agricultural lands and ecosystems. Toxic baits have been developed as a potential management tool. This study evaluates the acceptability of toxic bait usage among U.S. crop producers and explores influential factors of respondent attitudes. Using data from a survey of crop producers in 11 states, we found that 59.6% of respondents somewhat or completely agreed that the use of a toxic bait in their state was acceptable, and 71.4% of respondents somewhat or completely agreed that they would be comfortable using toxic baits if they were experiencing a problem with wild pigs. Regression model results revealed that larger operations and producers of vulnerable crops were more likely to find use acceptable. Producers who generated income from wild pig hunting on their land tended to be less accepting, while those who generated income from the hunting of other species on their land tended to be more accepting. These findings suggest that the acceptability of a toxic bait is shaped by various economic, operational, and demographic factors but that there would likely be demand among producers of high-value crops facing a wild pig problem.