IaPBA News & Announcements

10-23-2025

USDA Government Shutdown — Possible Impact on Licensing and Inspections

With the current federal government shutdown, many USDA offices — including the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) — are operating with limited staff and reduced capacity.

This may result in delays in inspections, including routine, re-license, and pre-license inspections, which could create a backlog once normal operations resume.

Courtesy visits may also be affected during this time.

Other possible impacts include:

Temporary pause in inspection activity during the shutdown period

Delays in processing license applications and re-licenses

Slower shipment of official forms, such as the APHIS 7006 (Record of Acquisition)

Reduced access to compliance information and support services

Breeders with upcoming inspections or pending license actions should plan for possible delays, keep detailed records of any communication with USDA, and save copies of all forms and correspondence for reference.

If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to an IaPBA board member for assistance.

To help members stay prepared, you can download and print a copy of the APHIS Form 7006 in case shipments from USDA are delayed:

 Download APHIS Form 7006 (PDF)

IaPBA will continue to monitor the situation and share updates as more information becomes available.