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NCBA pushing for stronger surveillance as Asian Longhorned Tick continues westward spread

A leader with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association says tick-related diseases are rapidly spreading and it’s a serious issue for the livestock industry.

Sigrid Johannes, NCBA’s executive director of government affairs, says Asian Longhorned Ticks have been moving west since 2017.

“It’s been across the East Coast, as far north as New York, as far south as Florida. Now it’s moving west,” she said. “It’s creeping into the eastern edges of Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri. It’s a massive problem.”

She tells Brownfield treatment options are limited.

“It can very quickly drain the blood from smaller animals and calves,” Johannes said. “It reproduces asexually, so it can actually grow to be a massive problem in the blink of an eye without too many barriers. And, it’s really small. It’s hard to visually detect.”

Johannes says NCBA is asking Congress to fully fund some efforts to revamp the surveillance network for the Asian Longhorned Tick.

“Really start improving the data set that exists on this problem so that drug makers have data to look at.”

The disease carried by Asian Longhorned Ticks is called Theileriosis. Johannes says cattle with the disease can show signs of lethargy, anemia and difficulty breathing.

Iowa State University Extension says infected cattle may also develop ventral edema, exercise intolerance, jaundice and abortions. Although signs of Theileriosis are similar to anaplasmosis, younger animals and calves often display more severe signs compared to mature cows and bulls. Due to anemia from both tick infestation and Theileria, a protozoan parasite, the risk of death can be elevated, according to ISU.

Johannes spoke to Brownfield at the NAFB’s 2026 Washington Watch.

Sigrid Johannes: