Ticks are no longer just a springtime nuisance in the brush; for today’s cattle producers, they represent a growing biosecurity risk to herd health and a direct threat to beef demand. In a coordinated federal push, Capitol Hill and the White House have enacted measures to step up the fight against tick-borne diseases.
President Trump signed S. 2398, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act, into law on Sept. 30, extending long-term funding and strategic support through 2030. The legislation reauthorizes the “National Strategy and Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases” under the Public Health Service Act to ensure continued multi-agency research and surveillance.
Complementing the legislative effort, the White House issued an Executive Order and companion Fact Sheet “President Donald J. Trump Eliminates Disease-Carrying Pests and Restores Enjoyment of The Great Outdoors.” The action directs federal agencies — including USDA, EPA and HHS — to accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge pest control tools and tackle illnesses that harm humans and livestock alike.
Double-Barreled Threat: Animal Mortality and Consumer Allergies
For the beef industry, the administration’s initiative explicitly highlights diseases that intersect human and animal health. The administration’s directive prioritizes diagnosing, preventing and treating the syndromes and diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes in the U.S., including alpha-gal syndrome, theileriosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease and babesiosis.
- Theileriosis: Driven primarily by the spread of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis), theileriosis causes severe anemia, lethargy, abortions and mortality in beef calves and adult cattle.
- Alpha-gal Syndrome (Demand Risk): Transmitted by the bite of the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), alpha-gal syndrome does not sicken livestock. This condition triggers an immune allergy to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose — a carbohydrate found in beef, pork and lamb. Protecting consumers and outdoor agricultural workers from tick bites is critical to sustaining red meat consumption.
Fast-Tracking Next-Gen Vector Controls
Current pasture tick control relies heavily on chemical acaricides, backrubbers and ear tags, which carry risks of chemical resistance and environmental runoff. The White House directive focuses on accelerating next-generation, technology-driven solutions: “The Order directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, with the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to submit a regulatory framework for the planned development and release of advanced, safe, and effective tick and mosquito control technologies.”
Furthermore, the administration calls for public-private initiatives to develop “safe and effective, non-chemical, and technology-enabled methods, and invest in pioneering approaches to eliminate these pests throughout the country.”
Funded Through 2030: Sustaining Research and Cross-Agency Defense
While executive directives initiate regulatory frameworks, S. 2398 provides the legislative backbone to sustain research through 2030.
- Regional Centers of Excellence: Maintains funding for regional academic hubs that research vector distribution, mapping tick population shifts directly impacting grazing lands.
- Interagency Coordination: Mandates joint coordination between USDA, EPA, HHS, the Department of the Interior and state wildlife agencies to align wildlife host management — white-tailed deer — with agricultural boundaries.
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