SAFE Act of 2023

This bill (S 901, the SAFE Act of 2023) aims to prevent trade disruptions for U.S. agricultural exports during animal disease outbreaks. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to proactively negotiate regionalization agreements with key export markets, allowing targeted trade access instead of broad export bans during disease threats. The bill also requires the USDA to notify state agriculture departments and entities that petitioned for specific export rules when language is removed from the Import and Export Library. These changes directly affect U.S. agricultural exporters, state agencies, and foreign governments involved in trade with the U.S.