TIFTON — The Georgia Association of Conservation Districts is looking into a trap program to combat the state’s feral swine population, and the counties of Middle South Georgia have been chosen as the testing ground for the initiative.

Representatives of the counties in the Middle South Georgia Conservation District elected Nov. 1 to approve the creation of a rental program within their district as a means of providing farmers and landowners with traps to capture feral swine occupying their property.

This program is the result of a coalition between the GACD, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the state and national Departments of Agriculture to provide a solution for rising numbers of swine in the state.

GACD officials reported that the project will first be launched in the Middle South Georgia district as a pilot program to test the extent of its success and how it can be improved before it is instituted statewide.

The traps used will be purchased from Pig Brig Trap Systems, funded by the DNR. GACD will own and maintain the systems, with the Middle South Georgia district housing the traps when not in use.

A position will be created within the district to maintain and distribute the traps, as well as retrieve them after use.

GACD officials also outlined a set of requirements for residents applying for a trap, including education on proper operation of the traps, an overview of pig biology and behavior, and a study of the diseases feral swine can carry. Pig Brig will also provide instruction on the setup and dismantling of their pig traps.

A workshop will be held 1-5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the Tift County Extension Office, 1468 Carpenter Road South, to introduce landowners to the trap and to the rental program.

The workshop is open to anyone in the Middle South Georgia Soil & Water Conservation District impacted by feral hogs and interested in renting a Pig Brig trap. Attendance at the workshop is required to participate in the trap rental program. The workshop is limited to 35 participants.

Register at www.gacd.us/events. For more information, please contact the Georgia Association of Conservation districts at info@gacd.us, (833) 411-4223 or www.gacd.us.