Sponsors (12)
The bill strengthens surveillance and mandates eradication steps to protect U.S. animal agriculture and the food supply from screwworms, but it creates ongoing reporting/coordination costs for agencies and the possibility of quarantines that may disrupt affected ranchers and businesses.
Farmers and rural communities are better protected because the bill mandates eradication protocols to reduce the threat of screwworm infestations to domestic animal agriculture and the food supply.
State and federal wildlife and livestock health officers will have coordinated surveillance and faster outbreak response, improving early detection and limiting spread of screwworms.
Non-infected animals and unaffected areas are more likely to continue business as usual because the bill promotes science- and risk-based approaches that limit unnecessary broad restrictions.
Ranchers and land users in quarantined or affected areas could face business interruptions and direct costs for containment or compliance with eradication measures.
The required coordination and reporting will impose staff time and resource burdens on USDA and Interior (and on state partners), potentially diverting funds and attention from other programs and priorities.
Mandating annual reporting and continuing obligations until a Panama-related quarantine certification could prolong federal oversight and compliance costs even after domestic risk falls, extending burdens on agencies and partners.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires USDA and Interior to coordinate surveillance, control, and eradication of New World screwworm on specified Federal lands and report to Congress annually until containment is certified.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior to enter into a memorandum of understanding or other interagency agreement, to carry out, and coordinate on, activities to prevent, control, and eradicate New World screwworm in wildlife and non-livestock species of animals on certain Federal lands, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 10, 2026 by Ronny Jackson · Last progress February 10, 2026
Requires the Agriculture and Interior Secretaries to sign an interagency agreement within 180 days to coordinate prevention, surveillance, control, and eradication of New World screwworm on specified Federal lands and with State partners. The agencies must develop joint surveillance and eradication protocols, coordinate outbreak response and notifications, protect domestic animal agriculture and the food supply, and report annually to Congress until the Secretary of Agriculture certifies the pest is contained south of the Darién Gap in Panama.