Devon Baete has a diploma in Natural Resources Management and 20 years field experience working one on one with landowners on agricultural issues. Devon got involved with wild pigs back in 2018 volunteering to apply for grants and distribute traps to local landowners affected in the Cypress River area. The Manitoba Pork Council was concerned about wild pigs posing a disease risk to operations even at that time and provided funding support to his work for many years to add traps. In 2021 the Manitoba Pork Council received a grant through the Canadian Agriculture Partnership to establish Squeal on Pigs Manitoba for landowners to report sightings. With sightings reported now province wide Devon was working evenings and weekends to expand trapping. In 2023 the Manitoba Pork Council received a 5 year funding agreement from the Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Grant and Devon was hired on full time as the Manager of field Operations. Over the years the program has expanded greatly with wild pig surveillance and removal, but also in research and National collaboration. Devon has been involved with the removal of over 750 wild pigs in Manitoba to date.
In this episode, we are chatting about wild pigs! In Manitoba, wild pigs have come from farmed wild boar or tame pigs that have been released or escaped and become feral. These pigs create many threats to the environment, including the damage they do through rooting for food, as well as threats caused by disease transfer to Manitoba’s pig population and exports, as well as other livestock species.
Devon shares information about the “hot spots” for pigs in Manitoba, the “Squeal on Pigs” program and their efforts to trap and eradicate wild pigs in Manitoba, and so much more. Join us to learn more about these wild pigs and what you can do about them if you see pig sign on your land.
Websites mentioned in the episode: 2025 Squeal on Pigs Annual Report https://squealonpigsmb.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Squeal-on-Pigs-Annual-Report-2025.pdf
www.squealonpigsmb.org
Facebook: @Squeal on Pigs Manitoba
The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).
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Website: www.mbfi.ca
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