At 12:01 a.m. on October 1, 2025, the federal government officially shut down after Congress failed to pass appropriations or a continuing resolution for Fiscal Year 2026 (Washington Post). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now entered contingency operations, with nearly 90% of its workforce furloughed (LA Times) (Federal News Network).

For pesticide companies, this means registrations, label reviews, import approvals, and most compliance activities are paused. The last shutdown in 2018–2019 lasted 35 days , the longest in U.S. history, and its effects offer lessons for what to expect this time (Wikipedia) (C&EN).

What’s Happening Now at EPA

  • Massive furloughs: Only about 1,700 of EPA’s 15,000 staff remain active. The rest are furloughed, halting most regulatory functions (LA Times).
  • Essential operations only: Limited emergency response, certain Superfund work, and imminent health threat activities continue under EPA’s official contingency plan (EPA Contingency Plan).
  • Pre-weakened agency: EPA already cut 23% of its workforce and shuttered its Office of Research and Development earlier this year (Reuters), compounding the shutdown’s impact.
  • Chemical & pesticide reviews disrupted: TSCA and FIFRA programs are stalled, delaying data reviews, registrations, and compliance actions (LawBC).

Lessons from the 2018–2019 Shutdown

The last prolonged shutdown provides a roadmap for what pesticide companies may face:

  • 35 days without EPA activity – causing severe backlogs.
  • Missed inspections – over 1,200 environmental site inspections were canceled (AP News).
  • Paused enforcement – new compliance cases were not pursued.
  • Economic impact – $11 billion lost, including permanent economic harm (CBO via Wikipedia).
  • Slow restart – even after reopening, EPA triaged work, prioritizing high-profile issues while routine matters dragged for months.

Implications for Pesticide Companies

  • Registrations and label reviews will stall – Any pending submissions will be frozen until staff return.
  • Imports may be delayed – Import notices may stack up at ports without EPA staff available to clear them.
  • Compliance enforcement is on pause – But expect a wave of catch-up inspections and audits once the agency reopens.
  • State programs may wobble – Many rely on EPA grant funding and oversight, which are frozen during a shutdown.
  • Extended recovery – If this shutdown lasts as long as 2018–2019, companies should expect delays stretching months into 2026.

What Companies Should Do Right Now

  • Document compliance efforts in case enforcement surges after the shutdown.
  • Adjust project timelines — add buffer weeks or months for registrations and amendments.
  • Communicate with state regulators to understand what they can process independently of EPA.
  • Scenario-plan for an extended shutdown.

Sources

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