Department of Agriculture

Given possibly drastic streamlining of the field structure at the Department of Agriculture (USDA), a planned $2 billion computer upgrade at USDA's farm service agencies is a high stakes gamble that could prove costly should the technology be unable to accommodate the agency's new approach to doing business. By modernizing before knowing what the revised structure will be--both Congress and the Secretary of Agriculture are considering major changes--USDA could end up having to replace or redesign the technology at a cost of millions of dollars. In a related matter, GAO recommends that USDA ensure that farm service agencies begin integrating the farm service agency databases. USDA must also continue to establish common data definitions that the farm service agencies will use in developing information systems. Without coordinated information technology plans and common definitions, USDA cannot be sure that its information technology modernization efforts will meet its crosscutting needs into the 21st century.