Government Shutdown: some USDA services remain, others curtailed

On September 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a Lapse of Funding Plan prior to the anticipated government shutdown, which occurred on October 1, 2025.

According to the USDA publication, “In the event of a lapse in appropriations, the Department will immediately suspend regular agency operations. Certain functions and activities, however, may be continued even in the absence of an annual appropriations Act or continuing resolution.”

According to USDA, functions that may be continued following a lapse in appropriations could include those:

1. Financed by a resource other than current year annual appropriations; 

2. Expressly authorized by law to continue in the absence of appropriations; 

3. Authorized by necessary implication to continue in the absence of appropriations; 

4. Necessary to discharge the President’s constitutional duties and powers; and 

5. Related to emergencies where there is a reasonable likelihood that the safety of human life or the protection of property would be compromised, in some significant degree, by delay in performance.

The USDA publication provided a brief summary of agency activities expected to continue during the funding lapse.

“The Department will continue operations related to: certain farm loan processing items, certain natural resource and conservation programs, core nutrition safety net programs, essential food safety operations (inspections and laboratory work) to protect public health, responding to and preparing for wildland fires, activities supported by user fees (including grading, assessment, inspection, import and export), animal and plant health emergency programs (including new world screwworm, highly pathogenic avian influenza, exotic fruit flies, African swine fever, and rabies), Section 521 Rental Assistance Program outlays of prior obligations, human resource policies and systems, critical IT infrastructure and cybersecurity, emergency operations, and national defense and homeland security readiness.”

The bulletin also provided a list of activities expected to cease due to the funding lapse.

“The Department will cease operations related to: payment processing, disaster assistance processing, technical assistance, contracts and agreements not related to exempted programs, financial management beyond funds management, regulatory work, travel, trainings, trade negotiations, timber sales, hazardous fuels treatments, special use permits, surveys for high risk plant pests and diseases for certain swine, cattle, and aquatic animal diseases, long-term studies and research on animal diseases, research and report publications, website updates, data products, and the majority of Risk Management Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Food and Nutrition Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Economic Research Service, National Agricultural Statistical Service, Rural Development, and Staff Office activities.”

The USDA publication provides specific guidelines for each branch of the Department of Agriculture.

Specifically relevant to the livestock industry, the Food Safety and Inspection Service “will continue to perform mission essential food safety operations required to protect life and property, including statutorily required inspection of meat, poultry, and egg products, investigations necessary to protect public health (outbreaks, recalls, etc.) , laboratory work essential to identifying public health concerns and threats, emergency preparedness, and minimum levels of other support functions necessary to maintain these activities.”

Additionally, “should a lapse in appropriations extend for a prolonged period (i.e., longer than 5 days), up to 1,600 [Agricultural Research Services] employees will be excepted and/or exempted to protect human and animal life, as well as research property and data that could incur significant damage if left unattended, and research on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, New Word Screwworm, and other vital research needs that are essential to protecting public health and safety.”

To read the full USDA document, visit: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fy2026-usda-lapse-plan.pdf