Reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

GAO discussed the recent reorganization of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) as it related to the USDA nutrition responsibilities and activities. In summary, the reorganization separates some of the USDA nutrition information functions from its nutrition research functions and decentralizes its human nutrition research activities by transferring nutrition research from its former, high-level, separate-agency status to one of the component research programs of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). With any changes in administration and reorganization, there is naturally some temporary disruption in operations because of changes in leadership, responsibilities, and reporting channels. It is natural that the people who are affected will have some concerns and fears and that speculation will arise about their jobs, activities, and the effectiveness of the reorganization. Some of the concerns of individuals inside and outside USDA are: (1) whether nutrition will be less visible and deemphasized; (2) how nutrition issues will be coordinated and integrated; (3) how nutrition information policies, programs, and strategies will be affected; and (4) whether nutrition research will continue to be supported under its new decentralized setup. GAO stated that, although nutrition will be less visible at USDA, this does not necessarily mean a lack of commitment to nutrition because there have been no cuts in the funding of nutrition research, education, and information programs. Under the reorganization, the nutrition research activities were decentralized, and some of the nutrition information activities were transferred to a newly established information service. Before the reorganization, human nutrition research was separate and distinct from agricultural research. Under the reorganization, five human nutrition centers were transferred and placed under ARS. GAO concluded that, regardless of how nutrition is organized at USDA, it needs special attention and a national focus because it is primarily a national issue and not purely a regional one. Also, the new regional human nutrition research centers should be carefully monitored and guided as they progress toward developing and implementing their research programs. Finally, the nutrition research and information programs are critical because they provide much of the basis for the food and nutrition information used by the professional community and the mass media in providing information to the American people.