US Government shutdown aftermath: Delays and backlogs, the impacts are piling up

29 Jan 2019 --- After the longest US Government shutdown in history, thousands of federal employees are returning to work following 35 days on furlough. President Trump has reopened the federal government, despite vowing to shut it down again unless an acceptable border deal is reached. As a result, a multitude of departments are facing an uphill struggle to clear backlogs caused by the disruptions of the last few weeks. Questions are also being raised over how smooth the reestablishment of operations will be and how various food and agricultural sectors may be affected by the lasting impacts of the shutdown.

The message from the US government this week is that the country will quickly and smoothly get back to full speed, but in reality, what happens to services in the face of a funding drought? US politicians may have paused this political impasse, but the impacts of the shutdown will have surely piled up.

For those services that come under the control of the Department of Agriculture (USDA)  and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), employees no doubt are coming back from the furlough with overflowing inboxes and emails. A month out of their jobs will certainly affect the number of inspections FDA employees were targeted to perform this year. 

The Council for Responsible Nutrition anticipates review of New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) notifications and Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) certifications will also be delayed by at least the 35 days staff were out and perhaps much longer.

Speaking with FoodIngredientsFirst, Steve Mister, CRN President and CEO, talks about the delays and backlogs being experienced. 

“In addition to the routine functions, FDA performs, like facility inspections and examinations of imports at the port of entry, much larger policy decision making, like labeling for probiotics, creating a path to market for cannabidiol (CBD) and streamlining the process for a certificate of free sale, will all be delayed,” he says. “While the industry knows that FDA sees these issues as priorities, we appreciate that the shutdown has created substantial backlogs on these issues that will be detrimental to industry and consumers alike.”

“The shutdown has been a real disservice to consumers who rely on the FDA for oversight of both food and dietary supplements. These are unusual political times here in Washington. I have given up trying to predict how these things will be resolved. CRN is hopeful US Congress and the president will find a way to avoid another shutdown in three weeks,” Mister adds. 

Another area of concern involves the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal food program. 

The USDA has been sending out food stamp benefits throughout January despite the shutdown and will continue into February, while the USDA's Child Nutrition Programs will also be funded into the same month. They have been supported as previously appropriated funding is carried over to meet the needs of the program. However, what would happen to this vital funding, should the government shutdown be reinstated, is unclear. 

In a statement, US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue stresses how smoothly the department is getting back to work. 

“President Trump’s announcement of the reopening of the federal government is welcome news, as it will bring thousands of our employees back to work and return us to our mission of providing our customers with the services they rely upon. I extend my sincere thanks to the thousands of USDA workers who stayed on the job during the shutdown to offer as many of our normal activities as we could,” he says.

“The President has already signed legislation that guarantees backpay for all employees and we will move forward on that as soon as possible. Meanwhile, we will prepare for a smooth reestablishment of USDA functions,” he says.

“There will now be sufficient time for Congress to come to an agreement with the President on his pledge to protect our national security by securing our southern border with a reliable, effective barrier.”

Purdue’s statement makes no mention of how the USDA will clear backlogs. FoodIngredientsFirst has requested more information.

What’s next?
President Trump announced his support for a three-week funding measure that would reopen the government until February 15. This means that around 80,000 employees are returning to work and many major services connected to food and beverage sectors as well as the agri-food businesses can come out of a type of limbo status that they have been in since the shutdown first started on December 22, 2018. 

But fears of a continuation of the shutdown are very real among US federal employees and members of the public as Trump has said that he wouldn’t rule another out. Much depends on what happens next in the stalemate over funding for Trump’s border wall and it remains to be seen how lawmakers will address border security before the February 15 deadline while avoiding another closure.

By Gaynor Selby