Tick Bites, Meat Allergy, and Caring for Livestock: What Farmers and Ranchers Need to Know

Summary: Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS)  is an emerging tick-borne allergy to alpha-gal, a sugar found in mammals and products derived from them. These products include food, drugs, personal care and other products. Up to half a million Americans are estimated to be affected by AGS; most live in high-prevalence states in the South, Midwest, and East Coast. 

Farmers are at higher risk of tick bites and developing AGS. For farmers, AGS is not just a food allergy, it’s an occupational allergy. Reactions to fluids, waste, and dander from livestock can make caring for them difficult. In this seminar, we will provide an introduction to AGS, share tips on avoiding it, and hear from farmers and ranchers about the challenges of farming with AGS and how to manage them.

Intended Audience: Farmers and ranchers, hunters, park rangers, foresters, surveyors, line workers, gardeners, hikers, and other people with outdoor jobs and hobbies.