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Agriculture and Food

Open Recommendations

School Meal Programs: Additional Data and Outreach Could Help Charter School Participation

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2 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Agriculture	The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Administrator of FNS conducts an assessment to determine whether there are cost-effective ways to obtain reliable information on state-level variation in participation and factors that affect charter schools' ability to participate in school meal programs. (Recommendation 1)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Agriculture	The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Administrator of FNS conducts additional outreach to share relevant information on school meal programs with charter schools. Such outreach could include encouraging state agencies to share reminders of existing resources with charter schools, such as FNS's memorandum on charter schools or the Child Nutrition Sharing Site. (Recommendation 2)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

H-2A Visa Program: Agencies Should Take Additional Steps to Improve Oversight and Enforcement

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2 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Homeland Security	The Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services should establish a schedule, including milestones, for complete end-to-end electronic processing of H-2A visa program petitions. (Recommendation 1)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Labor	The Secretary of Labor should ensure that the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, identifies and evaluates options, including the costs and benefits of those options, for reducing the resource burden on WHD in its efforts to find workers to return back wages. (Recommendation 2)	Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Conservation Reserve Program: Improving How USDA Selects Land Could Increase Environmental Benefits

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4 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Farm Service Agency	The Administrator of USDA's FSA should build on existing efforts by incorporating, in a timely manner and as appropriate, reliable science-based information from models or other sources into the agency's methods for assigning points that are used to select offers for CRP. (Recommendation 1)	Open We will review the agency's actions once we receive documentation.
Farm Service Agency	The Administrator of USDA's FSA should develop a process to periodically review its methods for selecting offers for CRP. Such a process should specify the frequency of the reviews and include soliciting and publicly reporting on suggestions from experts, including non-USDA scientists and economists. (Recommendation 2)	Open We will review the agency's actions once we receive documentation.
Farm Service Agency	The Administrator of USDA's FSA should address any findings resulting from its periodic reviews to enhance its methods for selecting offers for CRP, as appropriate. (Recommendation 3)	Open We will review the agency's actions once we receive documentation.
Farm Service Agency	The Administrator of USDA's FSA should annually analyze information on environmental benefits by type of enrollment and for the entire program, and publicly report the information, such as on its website. (Recommendation 4)	Open We will review the agency's actions once we receive documentation.

Charitable Food Assistance: USDA Can Enhance Guidance and Improve Program Performance Assessment

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5 Open Recommendations

Agency Affected	Recommendation	Status
Department of Agriculture	The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Food and Nutrition Service document and implement a process to provide and routinely update consolidated and user-friendly TEFAP program guidance for states and local agencies on the FNS website. For example, this could be a program handbook or a consolidated list of pertinent program guidance. (Recommendation 1)	Open USDA generally agreed with this recommendation. We will monitor the agency's efforts to implement it.
Department of Agriculture	The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that FNS document and implement a process to provide and routinely update consolidated and user-friendly CSFP program guidance for states and local agencies on the FNS website. For example, this could be a program handbook or a consolidated list of pertinent program guidance. (Recommendation 2)	Open USDA generally agreed with this recommendation. We will monitor the agency's progress in implementing it.
Department of Agriculture	The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that FNS, in coordination with the Agricultural Marketing Service, document and implement a plan with measurable goals and timeframes to streamline the process for resolving USDA Foods delivery issues and complaints. This could include streamlining the escalation process for delivery issues and proactively communicating complaint status updates with recipient agencies. (Recommendation 3)	Open USDA generally agreed with this recommendation. We will monitor the agency's efforts to address it.
Department of Agriculture	The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that FNS develop and implement a program performance assessment system for TEFAP, beginning with setting measurable program performance goals and measures. In developing goals and measures, FNS should consider the types of data and information that could be useful for future evaluations. (Recommendation 4)	Open USDA generally agreed with this recommendation. The agency noted that it may need additional funding to collect data to support performance goals and measures for these programs. We will monitor the agency's progress to address this recommendation.
Department of Agriculture	The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that FNS develop and implement a program performance assessment system for CSFP, beginning with setting measurable program performance goals and measures. In developing goals and measures, FNS should consider the types of data and information that could be useful for future evaluations. (Recommendation 5)	Open USDA generally agreed with this recommendation. We will monitor the agency's efforts to address this recommendation.

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GAO Contacts

Mary Denigan-Macauley

Director

Health Care

deniganmacauleym@gao.gov

Kathy Larin

Director

Education, Workforce, and Income Security

Steve Morris

Director

Natural Resources and Environment

morriss@gao.gov