Press ReleasesSmith Leads Lawmakers in Urging USDA to Mitigate Impact of Theileria on U.S. Cattle IndustryOctober 15, 2026

WASHINGTON, D.C . — Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, recently led a group of lawmakers in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins urging the Department to expand and prioritize research on Theileria orientalis Ikeda and related tick-borne livestock diseases. “We write to express our increasing concern regarding the rapid spread of Theileria orientalis Ikeda, a disease carried primarily by the invasive Asian longhorned tick. Since its first detection in the United States in 2017, this tick has spread to more than 20 states and continues to expand its range each year. This emerging disease poses a growing threat to the cattle industry. This industry, and the rural communities that depend on it, cannot absorb an unchecked, spreading disease with no approved treatment. We are urging USDA to prioritize additional research and surveillance to better understand and mitigate its impacts on the U.S. cattle industry,” the lawmakers wrote. “Land-grant universities across the country, including the University of Missouri, the University of Arkansas, Virginia Tech, and Kansas State University, have worked diligently to track this disease, confirm new cases, and educate ranchers on prevention. However, surveillance and outreach alone cannot substitute for a vaccine or effective treatment, and it should not fall to individual states to carry the full weight of researching a disease that has been detected in a growing number of states across the country,” the letter continues . Other lawmakers who signed onto the letter include Congresswoman Ann Wagner (MO-02), Congressman Bob Onder (MO-03), Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04), Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-01), Congressman Randy Feenstra (IA-04), Congressman Mark Messmer (IN-08), Congressman Tracey Mann (KS-01), Congressman Derek Schmidt (KS-02), Congressman Don Bacon (NE-02), Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03), and Congressman John Rose (TN-06). Background: Cattle infected with Theileria orientalis Ikeda commonly experience anemia, jaundice, weight loss, decreased productivity, abortion, and can lead to death. The letter urges the USDA to: Designate $15 million of allocated USDA funding toward research to better understand disease transmission, epidemiology, and long-term impacts on cattle health and productivity; Support the development and validation of improved diagnostic tools that allow for earlier and more accurate detection; Accelerate research into treatment options, vaccine development, and integrated tick management strategies; Strengthen collaboration with land-grant universities, as well as state animal health agencies, veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and producer organizations. Read the full letter here .