TSCRA applauds fever tick funding

Fort Worth, Texas - Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) President Jon Means issued the following statement today after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer announced the federal government would allocate $4.9 million for the control of cattle fever ticks in Texas. Schafer met with Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, TSCRA members and other industry leaders to discuss the possibility of funds. TSCRA has helped lead the charge in the ongoing fight against fever ticks by pushing for additional government funding to combat the problem.

“TSCRA would like to thank Secretary Schafer for traveling to Texas to meet with our members and discuss this issue. We would also like to thank Commissioner Staples for putting this meeting together, demonstrating once again his continued support for the beef industry, as well as Representative Henry Cuellar for his diligent work on the industry’s behalf.

“This funding couldn’t have come at a better time. Now, maybe more than ever, federal funding for the control of cattle fever ticks is desperately needed in order to address the current infestation in the temporary quarantine zones. Without these funds, the pests could spread the fever throughout the nation’s cow herd, resulting in losses of $1 billion a year to the industry and rising food costs for consumers.

“While these funds are critical to our efforts, there is still work to be done. TSCRA will continue its commitment to fight fever ticks in Texas. We will work with federal and state government officials including the new White House Administration to ensure America’s beef supply is kept affordable, safe and secure for American families.”

Fever ticks can carry and transmit a tiny parasite that causes “cattle tick fever,” a disease that can kill up to 90 percent of infected cattle. The ticks once extended across the southeastern United States from the Atlantic Coast around to the Gulf Coast and into Texas and Oklahoma.

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) was established in 1893 to fight the disease. Since 1943, cattle tick fever has been eradicated from the United States, except for a permanent quarantine zone that was established along the Rio Grande River in South Texas. This permanent quarantine zone, maintained by the USDA and the TAHD, has been an effective deterrent to all but occasional incursions of fever ticks.

During the past two years, however, 128 new cattle fever tick infestations have been detected in the permanent quarantine zone, temporary preventive areas and tick-free areas of Texas, causing alarm for producers and consumers.

Since July 2007, five preventive quarantines have been established and/or enlarged in Maverick, Dimmit, Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg and Star counties. More than one million acres in South Texas currently lie under temporary preventive quarantines, in addition to the half-million acres that comprise the permanent quarantine zone.

Increased tick pressure from Mexico, lack of treatment options, a growing number of wildlife species found to support the tick and insufficient resources have contributed to the current fever tick crisis.

The biggest challenge in fighting the fever tick problem is a chronic lack of funding for personnel and resources, resulting from years of under-funding.

Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is a 131-year-old trade organization whose 15,000 members manage approximately 4 million head of cattle on 51.5 million acres of range and pasture land, primarily in Texas and Oklahoma. TSCRA provides law enforcement services, livestock inspection, legislative and regulatory advocacy and educational opportunities for its members.