S. 5234 — Human-Wildlife Conflict Reduction Act of 2026

This section establishes the Human-Wildlife Conflict Reduction Program under the Secretary of Agriculture to develop, implement, and coordinate nonlethal strategies reducing conflicts between humans and wildlife and between livestock and wildlife. It subsumes the Nonlethal Initiative of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, authorizes $20 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 (with no more than 10 percent for research), requires an annual report to Congress on funding use, species affected, and strategy effectiveness, and provides assistance, training, demonstration projects, and state-level plans.