Nearly $6.2 Million for Tick-Borne Disease Research, Prevention Secured by Senator Collins in Funding Bill in First Key Step
Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured $6,174,000 for research at the University of Maine on tick-borne disease research and prevention in the draft Fiscal Year 2023 Agriculture, Interior and Environment, and Health and Human Services appropriations bills. The bills, which were officially released by the full Senate Appropriations Committee today, must still be voted upon by the full Senate and House.
“Each year, thousands of Mainers contract Lyme and other serious tick-borne illnesses, underscoring the urgency to address this burgeoning public health threat,” said Senator Collins. “I have seen firsthand the outstanding work being done by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Tick Lab, which is working to better understand the diseases ticks carry. This funding will spur UMaine’s research as well as programs that will help protect Mainers’ health and slow the spread of these diseases.”
“Combating threats from ticks in our state and region is an immense challenge that relies heavily upon an integrated approach that includes comprehensive tick surveillance, management and outreach,” said University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Lab Coordinator Griffin Dill. “The CDS funding requested by Sen. Collins will enable us to take a proactive approach to monitoring tick populations in Maine, research novel management strategies, and provide targeted outreach to those that are most at risk of encountering ticks. Additionally, we will be able to provide STEM education to students that combines hands-on experiential learning with comprehensive tick-borne disease prevention training. The CDS-funded expansion of our tick program is a unique opportunity to help mitigate the threats associated with ticks and tick-borne diseases.”
As the author of the Kay Hagan Tick Act, Senator Collins has prioritized investments in research to address this major public health issue. She secured historic funding for tick research in the most recent government funding law. In 2019, Senator Collins convened a Senate field hearing at UMaine’s Tick Lab in Orono.
Details on the three UMaine tick-borne disease projects that Senator Collins requested are below:
Tick-Borne Disease Prevention in Northern New England
Recipient: University of Maine System
Project Location: Orono, ME
Amount Requested: $2,500,000
Project Purpose: To support the University of Maine Tick Lab's establishment of a coordinated system of tick and tick-borne pathogen surveillance and risk communication in northern New England to address the staggering growth of the tick population in the region.
Tick-Borne Disease Management Strategies
Recipient: University of Maine System
Project Location: Orono, ME
Amount Requested: $2,021,000
Project Purpose: To identify alternatives to conventional pesticides designed to kill ticks and examine the intersection between climate and alternative tick management interventions.
Tick-Borne Disease Rural Public Health Outreach
Recipient: University of Maine System
Project Location: Orono, ME
Amount: $1,653,000
Purpose: To support targeted public health outreach and education to rural communities in order to prevent tick-borne diseases.
