Asian Longhorned Tick-Borne Disease Prevention in Pennsylvania

Commodities

• Animals: bovine

Practices

• Animal Production: animal protection and health
• Education and Training: extension, on-farm/ranch research, participatory research
• Pest Management: integrated pest management
• Sustainable Communities: community services, social psychological indicators

Project Focus:

The recent spread of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) poses new challenges for livestock health and farm management across Pennsylvania, raising concerns about animal welfare, economic viability, and farmer wellbeing. This qualitative study, conducted at Penn State Extension, seeks to explore cattle farmers' awareness, experiences, and management responses related to this invasive tick species, with particular attention to small and mid-sized operations and pasture-based systems. By centering farmer perspectives, the project responds to an urgent need for practical, farmer-informed strategies that complement ongoing surveillance and biological research.

Solution and Approach:

Semi-structured interviews with producers from throughout the state will capture firsthand accounts of tick presence, suspected or confirmed cases, and perceived impacts on herd health, productivity, and daily labor. Participants will be asked to describe current prevention and control practices, decision-making around treatment options, and any changes they have made to grazing, housing, or overall herd management in response to tick pressure. The study will also document challenges to effective control, including cost, labor constraints, limited product information, and uncertainty about efficacy or animal safety.

In addition, the project will identify producers' preferred communication channels and information needs regarding tick identification, management options, and support resources such as veterinarians, Extension, and peer networks, such as Center for Beef Excellence and Pennsylvania Beef Council. Interview data will be analyzed thematically to generate a grounded understanding of how the Asian longhorned tick is affecting Pennsylvania's cattle sector and what support farmers feel they need most. Findings will directly inform the co-development of targeted Extension outreach, including producer-reviewed fact sheets, workshops, and decision-support tools, and will highlight priorities for future research collaboration. Ultimately, this work aims to strengthen farmer-centered approaches to emerging pest management, protect animal health and farm worker safety, and enhance the sustainability of livestock systems in the region.

This project will investigate how Pennsylvania cattle farmers perceive, experience, and respond to the emerging presence of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) and how these experiences influence on‑farm decision‑making and participation in management and surveillance efforts. Using qualitative, community‑engaged methods, the project will gather farmer perspectives on tick recognition, control practices, participation challenges, and information needs. Insights will come from diverse cattle operations across central and western Pennsylvania.

In partnership with Penn State Extension and a farmer advisory group, the project will document real‑world challenges and co‑develop practical, accessible outreach materials grounded in producer priorities. Farmers will contribute to interview design, data interpretation, and resource development to ensure relevance and usability.

By centering farmer voices, this research will fill critical knowledge gaps about regional tick impacts and management constraints, generating actionable strategies that strengthen on‑farm resilience, inform Extension programming, and promote sustainable livestock health. The resulting resources will benefit cattle‑producing communities across Pennsylvania and contribute to broader tick mitigation and animal health resilience efforts throughout the Northeast.