'Relentless’ pig numbers tearing Through Far West as Funding Deadline Looms

In Short:

• Culls Falling Short: Despite 53,000 pigs being culled by authorities last year, NSW Farmers says this is insignificant compared to the estimated tens of millions still breeding.
• Funding Cliff: Existing control programs are only guaranteed until June 30, sparking fears of a population explosion if the upcoming State Budget doesn't commit to long-term funding.
• Public Land Problems: Farmers in the West report that pigs are breeding unchecked on public lands before "tearing through" private fences and crops.

Farmers across the region are describing a "relentless force" of feral pigs, as the state’s peak farming body warns that recent government culling efforts amount to little more than "bits of bacon."

Recent data highlighting that 53,000 feral pigs were culled by authorities over the past year has been met with scepticism by NSW Farmers.

The group argues these figures are dwarfed by the millions of pests currently devastating paddocks across Western NSW.

NSW Farmers’ President Xavier Martin said the current population control is nowhere near what is required to protect the state's agricultural output.

“This isn’t the whole population control we need to see, it’s just a few bits of bacon,” Mr Martin said.

“We’ve never seen pig numbers this bad before, and I’m hearing report upon report from farmers who have hordes of these pests just tearing through their farms like a relentless force that can’t be stopped.”

For producers, many of whom have invested heavily in private baiting and trapping programs, the primary concern is the lack of long-term certainty. Current funding for state-led control programs is only secured until June 30, 2026.

Mr Martin warned that without a coordinated strategy in the upcoming state budget, the breeding cycle will remain unbroken.

“Five figure culls simply aren’t going to do the job when numbers are surging, farmers are being restricted in what tools they can use, and there’s no guarantee of funding for control programs past June 30,” he said.

A recurring frustration for local landholders is the role of public land in the crisis. While local farmers fight "uphill battles" on their own properties, there are growing calls for the government to manage the breeding occurring on state-owned land.

“The NSW Government has promised to do its bit to control these pests, but we know they’re still breeding up on public land as farmers fight an uphill battle against them,” Mr Martin said.