A Message from Executive Director, Susan J. Kibbe

Dear Members,

Hope this message finds you well and with plenty of green grass!

STPRA has a seat at the table with the Cattle Fever Task Force for the state of Texas. Texas Farm Bureau hosted a Cattle Fever Tick update meeting last week in Harlingen. The update included the good news that there have been great strides made in treatments and the construction of nearly 70 miles of high fencing by the end of their fiscal year; with more planned for the upcoming year.

The outbreaks of fever tick have been pushed back to the permanent quarantine zone, except in one area of Webb County, which is good news. There is still the issue of ticks being carried on and spread by white-tailed deer and nilgai antelope. The challenge is how best to treat them.

The USDA facilities at the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory (KBUSLIRL) located in Kerrville, TX, and the Satellites at the Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory located at Moore Field near Edinburg, TX and the Screwworm Research Unit located in Panama Central America, are currently expanding their capabilities to do testing on both the deer and antelope. Here’s a link to read more about these facilities:  https://www.ars.usda.gov/plains-area/kerrville-tx/knipling-bushland-us-livestock-insects-research-laboratory/docs/main/

If you are a Brooks County landowner, I’d like to remind you that Brooks County is now up and going and ready to prosecute for criminal trespass. If you have not signed up as a landowner and would be willing to press charges, please get with DPS Sergeant Frank Rios, or Ruben Garza, the Jim Hogg County ranch liaison. Their numbers are as follows: Frank, 361-246-6110; Ruben, 361-231-1010.

In addition, if you do not want your name or ranch name associated with the trespass charges, you can name someone else or even a law enforcement officer as your agent.

Law enforcement intelligence is gearing up for an increase of illegal immigration traffic with yesterday’s announcement of the President’s executive order. This would cause an uptick in traffic in Brooks County and all of South Texas.

And with that in mind, if you have any real property damages associated with border issues, you can apply for damage compensation at: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/crime-victims/landowner-compensation-program

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Until next month,

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Susan J. Kibbe
Office (361) 522-5194
Susan@STPRA.org

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