Revitalizing USDA

A Challenge for the 21st Century Gao ID: T-RCED-93-62 July 21, 1993

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today has a much broader range of missions and programs--from food and agriculture to crosscutting issues like rural development and biotechnology--than it did in the 1930s, when the present organizational structure was put in place. Back then, American agriculture was characterized by the family farm; today, agribusiness is the driving force in a consumer-driven world economy, one in which American agriculture no longer dominates. GAO believes that if USDA is to be revitalized and become a strong leader in the 21st century, wholesale restructuring is in order. This testimony focuses on (1) USDA's need to overcome problems in organizational structure and management systems, (2) recent efforts to streamline USDA, and (3) issues to consider in revitalizing the agency.



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