Officials urge people to eat creatures wreaking havoc on US landscape: 'It helps solve a problem'

Pork is on the menu in Montana after more than 10,000 pounds of swine entered the Montana Food Bank Network. It turns out feral hogs are good for more than just a meme.

According to the Montana Free Press, the state's Department of Livestock intervened to trap about 100 feral hogs after Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services tipped them off to the population.

Now, 8,000 to 14,000 pounds of pork are being distributed with help from Producer Partnership through the Montana Food Bank Network, a major resource for families struggling with rising food prices.

Producer Partnership is a product of the COVID-19 pandemic and the only nonprofit meat processing facility inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture; it is also one of the few, if not the only, organizations in the country capable of taking on this unique project.

The Department of Livestock said it prevented further damage to farmland, potential disease spread, and destruction of local ecosystems as a result of the operation, which also became an unexpected win for families facing food insecurity. It's an example of how conservation efforts can directly support communities.

Feral hogs are considered an invasive species in many parts of North America because they can destroy crops, damage wetlands, and carry diseases that threaten both livestock and people. They can cause billions in damage to property and agriculture. Montana outlawed feral hogs in 2015 to prevent such risks before they take root.

Just this year, feral hogs have made the news for digging up a local cemetery, gathering by the millions in Texas, and even spawning a "hog hunter" in one state. It's also part of a global trend of similar conflicts with wildlife as rising temperatures and resulting extreme weather destroy natural habitats and ecosystems and push animals into closer contact with humans.  

Montana State Veterinarian Tahnee Szymanski told the Free Press that domestic pigs can revert to feral behavior if left unattended, and this serves as a reminder that they can "crop up anywhere in the state."

Matt Pierson, president and founder of Producer Partnership, said the outcome reflects a better approach to managing wildlife responsibly without just "going in and shooting everything." He told the Free Press, "It helps solve a problem for the state, and it helps put all that meat into the food bank."

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