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WASHINGTON— Representatives Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Filemon Vela (TX-34), and Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) announced today that they helped secure $96.5 million in the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations bill for the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Cattle Health Program, including $5 million specifically for research and scientific tools to eradicate cattle fever tick, an additional $1 million for USDA ARS to conduct research on cattle fever tick treatments, and language encouraging APHIS and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to collaborate with their Mexican counterparts to develop and implement a fever tick control program, so that infected livestock in Mexico does not cross the border and infect Texas livestock.

The U.S. cattle industry is valued at roughly $81 billion. Cattle fever ticks carry microscopic parasites that cause anemia, fever, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and often death for up to 90 percent of infected cattle. Along the Rio Grande, there is a Permanent Cattle Fever Tick Quarantine Zone, an area that spans eight Texas counties on the border and over a half million acres stretching from the Gulf of Mexico near Brownsville to Amistad Dam north of Del Rio, intended to prevent the spread of the often deadly tick-borne disease. Infestations have been reported elsewhere in Central and South Texas as well.

“I would like to thank my fellow Appropriators, Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt and Ranking Member Sanford Bishop for their leadership and assistance on this issue, along with fellow South Texas Congressmen Filemon Vela and Vicente Gonzalez,” Congressman Cuellar added. “I also want to thank the Texas Farm Bureau, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and the South Texans’ Property Rights Association, for their consistent efforts to help highlight and battle this issue at the local, State, and Federal level for our Texas ranchers and cattle producers.”

Congressman Cuellar continued, “Our cattle producers contribute greatly to the economy and way of life in South Texas. They deserve our assistance in the face of threats to their vitality. Fighting these ticks has been an ongoing, uphill battle since 2008, when I included language in the Farm Bill for the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program that provided research grants to study cattle fever ticks and their eradication. The funds for the USDA-APHIS Cattle Health program this year are an important step in helping control the tick population and stop the spread of their disease.”

The FY18 funding is equal to the funding included in last year’s funding bill. In a restricted budget environment in which the President has planned cuts to nearly every federal non-defense program, this level funding is a big win for the cattle industry. In FY17, USDA allocated $12.2 million from this account to fight the ticks in areas like Starr, Zapata, and Webb Counties in Texas. Congressman Cuellar also included language calling on USDA-APHIS to report to the Committee on their plan to help eradicate the ticks and control their spread.

"The South Texans' Property Rights Association considers Congressman Cuellar to be the leading champion of fever tick control in this country,” said Susan Kibbe, executive director of the South Texans' Property Rights Association. “He understands the issue better than anyone in political office and he has fought the hardest to maintain funding that is desperately needed to control this scourge that has plagued us since the 1940's and the research that will ultimately eliminate it."

“Texas Farm Bureau appreciates Congressman Henry Cuellar for his work in cattle fever tick control. He’s led efforts to provide ranchers and landowners the resources to help combat this devastating pest.” said Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening. “The Congressman recognizes the impact of fever ticks on hardworking ranching families in Texas. His work has been vital to progress in containing the pest. We are happy to have Congressman Cuellar as a partner in eradicating the fever tick.”

“I would like to extend my gratitude to the House Committee on Appropriations for supporting South Texas ranchers,” Congressman Gonzalez said. “With this funding, the USDA will have additional resources to augment existing eradication, treatment, and research efforts. When we invest in the well-being of livestock in Texas, we promote economic stability in our region and across the country.”

“I am thankful that Chairman Aderholt and Ranking Member Bishop are taking this necessary step toward protecting the livestock community throughout the state of Texas, and ultimately, the United States,” said Rep. Vela. “This funding will play an essential role in providing researchers with the needed resources to aid in the process of eradicating the cattle fever tick once and for all.” 

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