SAFE CATTLE Act

Protecting farms and wildlife from screwworm

This bill would require the Agriculture and Interior Departments to sign an agreement within 180 days. The agreement would coordinate prevention, control, and eradication of New World screwworm on specified Federal lands. Covered lands would be managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, or the Forest Service. The agencies would set joint surveillance and monitoring for early detection, coordinate with State wildlife and livestock health officers during outbreaks, and agree eradication protocols to protect wildlife and domestic animal agriculture. The bill would also require science‑ and risk‑based plans to support business continuity for non‑infected animals and non‑contaminated areas. The Agriculture and Interior Departments would send a joint report to relevant House and Senate committees within one year and annually thereafter until the Agriculture Secretary certifies the screwworm is quarantined south of the Darien Gap in Panama. Reports would describe interagency coordination, surveillance progress, any U.S. infestations and response actions, and recommendations to improve Federal response capacity.