Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz Introduces Legislation to Combat Invasive Pasture Mealybug Threatening Texas Agriculture
Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) has introduced the Combatting Pasture Mealybug Act, a legislative initiative aimed at addressing the spread of an invasive pest that poses a significant threat to Texas agriculture. The bill mandates the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct studies on the economic and agricultural impact of the pasture mealybug and to develop actionable strategies for rapid federal containment. The legislation has garnered support from several co-sponsors, including Representative Michael Cloud (TX-27), and various agricultural organizations such as the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, Texas Farm Bureau, and Texas Citrus Mutual. The pasture mealybug, first identified in the U.S. in 2025, feeds on plant sap in forage grasses and has been found in counties across Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia, causing pasture dieback and substantial economic losses in livestock, sugarcane, turfgrass, and row-crop sectors.
