Concerning organizational structure, we have reported that the number and diversity of USDA’s responsibilities create fundamental management problems for the Department. For example, food inspection services are provided by both USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and HHS’ Food and Drug Administration; land management activities are carried out by the Forest Service and three agencies within the Department of the Interior; and statistical activities are carried out by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics and Economic Research Services and at least nine other federal agencies. Because these agencies perform numerous similar activities and have complex and sometimes conflicting laws governing their land management activities, we have concluded that these activities could be carried out more efficiently and effectively either by combining the agencies or by streamlining the existing structure through the coordination and integration of functions, activities, and field locations. GPRA Provides Framework for USDA and Other Federal Departments to Identify and Coordinate Similar Activities

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 seeks to focus government decision-making and accountability on the results of activities. The act requires federal agencies to prepare annual performance plans, including an explanation of how similar activities will be coordinated with other agencies. As we reported in June 1998, while the plans of most of USDA’s component agencies at least partially discussed the need to coordinate with agencies having related strategic or performance goals, many of these fiscal year 1999 annual performance plans did not explain how this coordination would be accomplished. The Bureau of Land Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service—all within the Department of the Interior—perform some land management activities that have become similar over time to those conducted by FS, as we have reported. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation performs some activities similar to NRCS’.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Agriculture (USDA) activities that are similar to the activities conducted by other federal agencies and discussed USDA's efforts to comply with the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act.

What GAO Found

GAO noted that: (1) many of USDA's activities appear to be similar to those of other federal agencies; (2) for example, food inspection services are provided by both USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration; (3) GAO has reported on the fundamental management problems some of these similarities create for USDA and has, in some cases, recommended organizational changes; (4) for example, some of the land management activities of USDA's Forest Service and of the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and Fish and Wildlife Service are similar; (5) GAO has reported that land management activities could be carried out more efficiently and effectively either by combining these agencies or by coordinating and integrating their functions, activities, and field locations; (6) the Results Act was designed in part to help address apparent similarities in agencies' activities by requiring federal agencies to prepare annual performance plans; and (7) however, as GAO reported in June 1998, while most of USDA's component agencies' plans at least partially discussed the need to coordinate with the agencies having related strategic or performance goals, the Department's fiscal year 1999 annual performance plan did not explain how USDA agencies are coordinating crosscutting issues both within and outside the Department.