Farmers in the Upper Hunter are being promised a stronger say in how feral pigs and deer are managed, as the New South Wales Government launches a technical review of its control programs. It follows what the Government describes as historic levels of success, with almost 240,000 feral pigs culled across the state over the past three years.
The work has been driven by increased aerial culling, free bait programs and coordinated trapping campaigns involving local landholders. The feral pig and pest program is backed by a $40 million investment and sits within a broader $1 billion biosecurity package aimed at protecting the state’s $25 billion primary industries sector.
Independent Biosecurity Commissioner Katherine Clift has been tasked with reviewing how feral pigs and deer are controlled at a regional scale. Her work will look at the best available tools and emerging technologies, the challenges of running programs across different landscapes and land tenures, and how to lift landholder participation in regional baiting and trapping campaigns. Preliminary advice is due to the Government in June 2026, with a final report expected in October.
The announcement follows another major aerial shooting operation near the Bogan River, west of Dubbo, which removed 2,276 feral pigs in just five days across about 149,000 hectares of private farmland and public land. Local Land Services is planning a further 17 aerial shooting operations across New South Wales over the next two months, alongside ongoing ground baiting and trapping programs.
Agriculture and Regional New South Wales Minister Tara Moriarty said the review was about making sure the system works on the ground for communities like those in the Hunter. She said the findings would help refine how public and private land managers work together, ensuring control programs are consistent, practical and responsive to local needs. “Feral pigs and pests are not a problem for government alone, everyone needs to work together,” the Minister said.
