Florida’s feral pigs have long been considered a nuisance by residents and farmers, but now a rancher is hoping to make use of their abundance, marketing them as a new sustainable food source.
The Tampa Bay Times reports Charlotte county rancher Keith Mann is working with trappers, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors and the restaurant community to bring these “free-range” pigs to market.
He says it’s a win-win plan for homeowners and restaurants. The majority of the pigs are coming from Hillsborough and Manatee counties, but also from Sarasota, Lee and Charlotte.
Anna Maria restaurateur Ed Chiles wants to sell the meat at his three restaurants. The son of two-time Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles seeks to promote Florida cuisine and says there’s a future in the feral pork.
