HCS#2 HB 2225 -- WILD AND FERAL SWINE

SPONSOR:  Wright (Loehner)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Emerging
Issues in Animal Agriculture by a vote of 11 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding wild or feral swine.
The Director of the Department of Agriculture must establish
rules regarding the fencing and health standards for Russian and
European wild boars or wild-caught swine held alive on private
land.  Any person holding these swine on private land must
annually obtain a permit from the department.  The capture and
possession of feral hogs on public land and the transport of live
Russian and European wild boars or wild-caught swine through or
on public land without a permit is prohibited.  The transport of
live Russian and European wild boars or wild-caught swine for any
purpose other than to slaughter or to move to another farm
requires a permit from the department unless the transporter is
issued an exemption permit by the department.  Any person in
violation of these provisions will be guilty of a class A
misdemeanor.  Each violation will be a separate offense.

Any person who recklessly or knowingly releases any swine on
public or private land to live in a wild or feral state without
adequate fencing will be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.  Anyone
who has previously pled guilty to or been found guilty of
violating this provision on two separate occasions within 10
years of the first violation will be guilty of a class D felony
and may be assessed an administrative penalty of up to $1,000 per
violation.

The Animal Health Fund is created which will consist of all fees
and administrative penalties collected by the department under
the provisions of the substitute.  Moneys appropriated from the
fund must be used to administer the provisions of the substitute.

The provisions of the substitute do not apply to domestic swine.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on General Revenue Fund in FY 2011, FY
2012, or FY 2013.  Estimated Income on Other State Funds of
Unknown in FY 2011, FY 2012, and FY 2013.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that feral hogs and Russian and
European wild boars are a serious threat to agriculture.  The
animals are responsible for crop, timber, and environmental
damages totaling over $800 million nationally and spread
diseases, including brucellosis and sudo rabies, to livestock.
The growing number of illegal hunts on public land for these wild
boars is not being deterred by the threat of a class A
misdemeanor conviction.  Due to the lucrative nature of these
hunts, the penalty needs to be raised to a class D felony.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Loehner; Missouri
Soybean Association; Missouri Cattlemens Association; Missouri
Pork Association; Department of Conservation; Missouri Farm
Bureau; Department of Natural Resources; Missouri Forest Products
Association; Department of Agriculture; Dale Murphy, Governor's
Task Force on Feral Hogs; and Department of Health and Senior
Services.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:13 pm