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Agroterrorism Prevention, Detection, and Response
"Our objective was to evaluate if USDA's [U.S. Department of Agriculture] OHSEC [Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Coordination] had developed and communicated effective plans and procedures to prevent, detect, and respond to agroterrorism threats. OIG [Office of Inspector General] reviewed applicable legislation, directives, and regulations; interviewed OHSEC officials; and evaluated existing OHSEC publications related to agroterrorism preparedness activities from October 2010 to November 2016. [...] OHSEC needs to develop and implement written processes to effectively oversee USDA's agroterrorism prevention, detection, and response activities; develop and implement a comprehensive process to track USDA's compliance with HSPD-9 [Homeland Security Presidential Directive-9]; and improve the process used to create the SSP [Sector-Specific Plan]."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2017-03
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Potential Risks to the Food and Nutrition Service's Coronavirus Aid Relief
From the Document: "In response to the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Congress enacted two public laws pertaining to USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] programs: the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCR Act) on March 18, 2020, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 27, 2020. The funding from these two laws is collectively referred to as 'COVID-19 funding' in this document. These two laws provide approximately $26 billion of funding to specific Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) programs (for details, see Attachments 1 and 2). To assist FNS in its COVID-19 response and minimize inefficient or improper actions that could put taxpayers' money at risk, the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) has initiated oversight related to COVID-19 funding."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2020-06
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Audit Report: Controls Over Biological, Chemical, and Radioactive Materials at Institutions Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
"In its effort to assist the Government in strengthening homeland security since September 11, 2001, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) continues to review those activities of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that could be vulnerable to terrorist attacks or could enable terrorists to mount attacks within this country. As part of this effort, we reviewed institutions that receive USDA research funding to conduct research into animal and plant diseases and evaluated the controls these institutions exercise over biological agents and toxins, and chemical and radioactive materials used in their research. In the wrong hands, some of these agents or materials could pose a risk to human health and agricultural production in the United States."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2003-09
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U.S. Dept. of Agriculture - Management Challenges
"To identify Departmental challenges, we routinely examine issued audit reports where corrective actions have yet to be taken, assess ongoing investigative and audit work to identify significant vulnerabilities, and analyze new programs and activities that could pose significant challenges due to their range and complexity. We discussed our current challenges with USDA officials and considered all comments received. Last year we reported six major crosscutting challenges that we believed were the most significant management issues facing USDA. This year we removed one management challenge, as well as specific issues identified under three other challenges in recognition of the progress made or actions taken by the agencies. We found that, generally, USDA's response to the 2005 hurricanes was timely and effective; therefore, we no longer consider it a management challenge. We have also incorporated the challenge relating to genetically engineered organisms into a new global trade challenge and added two additional challenges dealing with food safety and forest management. Unfortunately, because expected progress did not materialize, Civil Rights has again been identified as a challenge for USDA."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2007-08
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U.S. Dept. of Agriculture - Strategic Plan FY 2007-2012
This strategic plan establishes our vision and seeks to provide a roadmap for OIG to provide a worthy return on the United States taxpayers' investment. "This is the second strategic plan issued by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). Much has happened within agriculture and within our office in the 3 years since we issued our first plan. We in OIG are justly proud of the work we have done in that time to respond to threats to the safety and security of agriculture (including bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or "mad cow disease," and avian influenza), weaknesses in Departmental information technology systems, and Forest Service wildfire deaths, as well as to protect the integrity of the Department's investment of over $4.5 billion in response to the catastrophic Gulf Coast hurricane season of 2005. In drafting this plan, our goal was to ensure that we can continue to help the Department address the many challenges that will arise over the next 5 years. We began by pulling together staff from all parts and all levels of the organization to get their insights into OIG's future direction, including the challenges we know we will face in the next few years (such as succession planning before an anticipated wave of retirements), external changes the impact of which we can not yet predict (e.g., the outcome of the farm bill), and how best we can use our resources and gauge our successes over the next 5 years."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2007-07
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Audit Report: Review of Forest Service's Hurricane Relief Efforts
'This review was conducted as part of the Department of Agriculture's Office of Inspector General's (OIG) current participation in a Government-wide efforts coordinated by DHS OIG to monitor and assess agency relief efforts related to the recent hurricanes in the Southeast United States. The overall objective was to be proactive in evaluating the internal controls agencies have in place to ensure disaster relief funds are being spent wisely.'
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2006-11
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System Review Report of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Inspector General Audit Organization
"We have reviewed the system of quality control for the audit organization of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General (USDOJ OIG) in effect for fiscal year (FY) 2012. A system of quality control encompasses USDOJ OIG's organizational structure and the policies adopted and procedures established to provide it with reasonable assurance of conforming to 'Government Auditing Standards'. The elements of quality control are described in 'Government Auditing Standards'. USDOJ OIG is responsible for designing a system of quality control and complying with it to provide USDOJ OIG with reasonable assurance of performing and reporting in conformity with applicable professional standards in all material respects. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the design of the system of quality control and USDOJ OIG's compliance therewith, based on our review."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2013-03-18
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COVID-19--Oversight of the Emergency Food Assistance Program--Interim Report [October 2021]
From the Objective: "Our ongoing inspection has four objectives. This report addresses Objective 1: What criteria did FNS [Food and Nutrition Service] use to approve States for food and administrative funds provided under the FFCR [Families First Coronavirus Response] and CARES [Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security] Acts. The Objective 1 includes the following sub objectives: (a) How much did FNS allocate to each State for food assistance and administrative funds under each act?; (b) Did FNS deny any State request for food assistance and/ or administrative funds provided under each act?; (c) Did FNS use different criteria to approve States for food assistance and administrative funds under each act?; and (d) What impact, if any, could changes to the criteria have on the integrity of the program? [...] We evaluated the process FNS used to approve States for food and administrative funds provided under the FFCR and CARES Acts. [...] We made no recommendations in this report."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2021-10
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USDA Agency Activities for Agroterrorism Prevention, Detection, and Response
"Our objective was to determine if APHIS [Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service], ARS [Agricultural Research Service], and FSIS [Food Safety and Inspection Service] had developed plans and initiated actions to prevent, detect, and respond to agroterrorism threats or attacks. [...] Agroterrorism is a threat to national security and could result in human illness and death, destruction of crops and livestock, and economic loss to farmers and ranchers. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) focused on three Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies with mission areas related to agroterrorism and emergency preparedness: the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). We found the agencies developed plans and initiated actions to prevent, detect, and respond to agroterrorism threats or attacks. However, we identified improvements the agencies can make to better track and report these actions."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2018-09
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COVID-19: FS' Wildland Fire Response Plans
From the Document: "The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Office of Inspector General's (OIG) comments on the Wildland Fire Response Plans (WFRP) that were developed in order to more safely and effectively combat wildland fires during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The WFRPs were developed under the direction of the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group, which includes the Forest Service (FS), as well as other Federal, State, and local wildland fire agencies. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic will likely cause wildland firefighting challenges across the wildland fire community, potentially causing the 2020 wildfire season to be one of the most dangerous in years."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2020-08
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2017 Hurricane Relief Emergency Conservation Program
From the Document: "The Farm Service Agency's (FSA) Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) assists landowners in restoring land used in agricultural production when damaged by a natural disaster. Congress appropriated $400 million to ECP to address damage caused by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria; wildfires occurring in 2017; and other natural disasters. We found that FSA needs to strengthen its internal controls within the ECP. First, producers are typically required to apply within the signup period to ensure eligibility and identify qualifying damage. However, we found that FSA issued more than $700,000 in ECP payments for 15 of 40 applications without properly documenting concurrence or when FSA should not have concurred with waiving the prior approval rule. Second, we found that, in all four counties we reviewed, district directors did not sufficiently document or timely review ECP applications. Additionally, in three counties, county executive directors did not perform spot checks to verify practice maintenance and cost documentation. As a result, the county committee may have been presented ineligible applications for approval. Additionally, because FSA did not complete spot checks, FSA could not ensure producers completed restoration practices on applications totaling more than $1.9 million. Third, FSA processed cost-share payments for 14 of 40 applications using insufficient documentation, included ineligible costs, or calculated cost-share reimbursements incorrectly. As a result, we identified more than $557,000 potential improper payments. FSA generally concurred with our findings and recommendations, and we accepted management decision for 9 of the 10 recommendations."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2021-06
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Survey of Food Safety and Inspection Service Inspectors' Perceptions of COVID-19 Safety in the Work Environment
From the Executive Summary: "The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted a pulse survey of Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspectors to obtain information about how FSIS frontline inspectors perceive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) safety in their work environments. On February 22, 2021, OIG began the COVID-19 safety survey, which consisted of 52 questions and was sent by OIG to 7,065 FSIS inspectors. Participation in the survey was completely voluntary, and responses were anonymous. The survey closed on March 5, 2021. This report presents the results of the survey."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2021-06
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Hurricane Disaster Assistance-- Emergency Watershed Protection Program
From the Document: "Our objective was to evaluate NRCS' [Natural Resources Conservation Service] controls over the EWP [Emergency Watershed Protection] Program relating to hurricane disaster assistance provided for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. [...] The Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program offers technical and financial assistance to help local communities mitigate imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, windstorms, and other natural occurrences that impair a watershed. In our review, we found that the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) did not establish and maintain a database to accurately track EWP Program projects at the national level. Without a database, NRCS is unable to assess, improve, or report on program effectiveness."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2021-06
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COVID-19--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Online Purchasing in Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019
From the Objective: "Our objectives were to address the following questions: (1) What criteria did FNS [Food and Nutrition Service] use to approve States and retail food stores to accept SNAP [Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits through online transactions during COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]? (2) What risks has FNS identified during the transition to allow SNAP benefits online? (3) What controls does FNS have to ensure retail food stores meet online transaction program requirements?"
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2021-08
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COVID-19--Oversight of the Emergency Food Assistance Program-Interim Report
From the Objective: "One of the four objectives of our ongoing inspection was to determine what risks FNS [Food and Nutrition Service] identified related to the safe and efficient distribution of USDA-food assistance provided to States during the COVID-19 [coronavirus disease 2019] pandemic. Specifically: (a) did FNS accept any risk related to the safe distribution of food assistance without implementing an offsetting internal control?; and (b) what controls did FNS establish to manage risks it did not accept?"
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2021-08
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USDA Coronavirus Disease 2019 Funding
From the Document: "On May 28, 2020, we initiated a non-audit service to identify U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) funding. Our objective was to identify the funding streams USDA used to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as of May 31, 2020. Specifically, we identified the programs, appropriations, and any other funding streams used; and key controls and mechanisms, including applicable information systems for the identified programs. To report the various funding streams, we reviewed agency websites, surveyed Departmental mission area and agency officials, and identified sources of funding from COVID-19 legislation as well as repurposed appropriations used for COVID-19 relief activities through May 31, 2020."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2020-09-30
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Potential Risks to the Forest Service's Coronavirus Aid Relief
From the Document: "In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and its impact on the economy, public health, State and local governments, individuals, and businesses, Congress passed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). As you are aware, the CARES Act provides more than $70 million in funding to the Forest Service (FS) to assist with relief efforts for various programs identified within the agency. Along with the provisions identified for FS, the CARES Act provided funding to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to provide oversight of agencies and specific programs that received funding under the CARES Act. OIG may also use its regular appropriations to provide oversight of the United States Department of Agriculture's use of COVID-19 funding."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2020-06
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COVID-19 -- Farmers to Families Food Box Program Administration -- Interim Report
From the What OIG [Office of the Inspector General] Found: "The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) administers programs that create domestic and international marketing opportunities for United States producers of food, fiber, and specialty crops. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the Department-- under AMS--established the Farmers to Families Food Box Program (Food Box Program) to connect food to non-profits through regional and local distributors. As the responsible agency, AMS released a solicitation requesting proposals from regional and local distributors to supply the following food box types: fresh fruits and vegetables; pre-cooked meat (chicken and pork); dairy products; and fluid milk. On May 8, 2020, AMS announced awards for the first round of purchases-- totaling up to $1.2 billion--for the period of performance May 15, 2020, through June 30, 2020 (hereafter referred to as 'Round 1'). We found that AMS designed the solicitation for the Food Box Program according to the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Departmental guidance. Additionally, we found that AMS substantially adhered to the funding allocation decisions described in the solicitation. Finally, while AMS established a panel to evaluate the Food Box Program proposals, we found that the agency did not always award Round 1 contracts in accordance with the specified requirements of the solicitation."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2022-06
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COVID-19 -- Food and Nutrition Service's Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer -- Interim Report
From the What OIG [Office of the Inspector General] Found: "The Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT), administered by the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), provided benefits loaded on EBT cards for the purchase of food in lieu of the meals that the children would have received in school. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) authorized the establishment of P-EBT temporary assistance for households with children affected by school closures due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Secretary authorized $37.1 billion to the States from P-EBT's March 18, 2020, inception through March 31, 2021, with the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval. We also found that during the period reviewed, FNS conducted outreach activities--such as webinars, phone calls, and written documentation--to maximize State participation in P-EBT assistance. Finally, FNS did not develop formal procedures to distribute P�'EBT funds because P-EBT provided temporary emergency assistance benefits. Instead, FNS used the legislative eligibility requirements to develop State plan templates and released guidance for State agencies to submit their proposed plans to FNS for approval. We did not identify any issues that would warrant recommendations; therefore, we are not making any recommendations in this report."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2022-06
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COVID-19--Food Safety and Inspection Service Pandemic Response at Establishments
From the Document: "The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the regulatory agency within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) responsible for protecting the public's health by ensuring the safety of the Nation's commercial supply of meat, poultry, and processed egg products. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided FSIS with $33 million, to remain available until September 30, 2021, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, domestically or internationally. In response to a Congressional request, we conducted an inspection to determine what actions FSIS took relating to COVID-19 to ensure the continuation of inspection operations at meat and poultry slaughter and processing establishments."
United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of the Inspector General
2022-07
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Interagency Review of Prior Inspector General Recommendations Related to U.S. Export Controls, Volume II
This report of the Offices Inspector General of the Department of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, State, and the Treasury; and the Central Intelligence Agency; and the United States Postal Service; addresses the issue of U.S. Export Controls. In this volume II are two Appendixes. Appendix H is the Department of Homeland Securities report. Appendix I is a follow up on prior interagency reviews.
United States. Department of State. Office of the Inspector General; United States. Department of Commerce. Office of the Inspector General; United States. Department of Homeland Security. Office of Inspector General . . .
2008-09-30
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