Sponsors (4)
The bill seeks to stabilize U.S. livestock trade and limit broad trade disruptions during animal disease outbreaks by pre-negotiating localized trade arrangements, but it may reduce flexibility in novel outbreaks, require government resources, and encounter negotiation delays with trading partners.
U.S. livestock producers and exporters will face fewer abrupt export bans because USDA and partners can pre-negotiate regionalization and compartmentalization agreements with trading partners.
Consumers, rural communities, and supply chains will see greater market stability for meat and animal products during outbreaks because trade disruptions can be limited to affected zones rather than whole countries.
Farmers and agricultural workers may benefit from trade decisions that incorporate up-to-date global research, encouraging more risk-based import/export measures.
Farmers and state governments could face reduced flexibility during novel outbreaks if pre-negotiated agreements rely on assumptions that don't match new disease dynamics.
Taxpayers and state governments may incur increased costs or diverted agency capacity because negotiating and implementing these agreements requires USDA resources and staff time.
Farmers and small exporters could face delays in effective protections if trading partners resist compartmentalization terms, leading to protracted negotiations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes USDA and trade officials to pre-negotiate regionalization, zoning, compartmentalization, and similar arrangements with trading partners to reduce export impacts from animal disease outbreaks.
Official title: To amend the Animal Health Protection Act to improve the prevention of the spread of animal diseases, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 28, 2025 by Randy Feenstra · Last progress April 28, 2025
Authorizes USDA officials (APHIS, FSIS, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs), in consultation with the U.S. Trade Representative, to negotiate in advance with trading partners on regionalization, zoning, compartmentalization, and similar arrangements to limit export disruptions from known animal disease outbreaks. Clarifies these negotiations should, where practicable, reflect accepted global research advances and does not limit USTR trade authority or require conditioning other trade deals on such language.