Agriculture: Protection of Food and Agriculture (2012-01)

In response to GAO's August 2011 recommendation, the National Security Staff has taken steps to establish an interagency process to provide oversight of agencies' implementation of HSPD-9—the nation's policy to defend the food and agriculture systems against potential terrorist attacks and major disasters—including research and development, surveillance, prevention, and response capabilities. Specifically, the National Security Staff told GAO in December 2013 that it has cohosted (with the Office of Science and Technology Policy) meetings for an interagency working group that is chaired by the Department of Homeland Security. The working group met three times in 2013 and includes partners from the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, State, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, as well as U.S. Geological Survey and the Environmental Protection Agency. According to the National Security Staff, recent interagency meetings have discussed topics related to HSPD-9. The National Security Staff also told GAO in December 2013 that it plans to continue to oversee agencies' implementation of HSPD-9 through the working group. With an interagency process that provides oversight of agencies' HSPD-9 implementation progress, federal decision makers have access to critical information they need to assess how effectively or efficiently agencies are using resources in implementing the nation's food and agriculture defense policy.

In response to GAO's August 2011 recommendation, the National Security Staff has cohosted an interagency working group to encourage agencies to participate in and contribute information to DHS's efforts to coordinate agencies' implementation of HSPD-9—the nation's policy to defend the food and agriculture systems against potential terror is attacks and major disasters. Specifically, National Security Staff officials told GAO in December 2013 that they have cohosted (with the Office of Science and Technology Policy) meetings for an interagency working group that is chaired by DHS. The working group met three times in 2013 and includes partners from the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, State, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, as well as U.S. Geological Survey and the Environmental Protection Agency. According to the National Security Staff, recent interagency meetings have discussed topics related to HSPD-9, including research and development, surveillance, prevention, and response capabilities. The National Security Staff also told GAO in December 2013 that it plans to continue to oversee agencies' implementation of HSPD-9 through the working group. DHS officials also told GAO in November 2013 that, throughout the previous 18 months, the National Security Staff had invested effort and expressed interest in the interagency working group and that the National Security Staff has been involved in discussions about DHS's assessment of agencies' implementation of HSPD-9. DHS officials told GAO that they appreciate the National Security Staff's support. With continued encouragement from the National Security Staff that agencies should contribute to DHS's coordination efforts, coordination efforts to oversee agencies' HSPD-9 implementation progress may be more successful.

In response to GAO's August 2011 recommendation, USDA has developed a department-wide strategy for implementing its responsibilities outlined in HSPD-9—the nation's policy to defend the food and agriculture systems against potential terrorist attacks and major disasters. Specifically, USDA developed a document in July 2015 to track the efforts of its component agencies to implement its HSPD-9 responsibilities, and the department intends to update this document each year. In addition, USDA officials told GAO that the HSPD-9 strategy document was central in the development of the 2015 Food and Agriculture Sector Specific Plan, which is the nation's overall risk management framework for protecting the food and agriculture critical infrastructure from a terrorist attack or major disaster. The Food and Agriculture Sector Specific Plan includes priorities for the next 5 years and is used by USDA and other agencies to justify resource requests. Furthermore, according to USDA officials, the department also coordinated with White House National Security Staff to gather data and to determine next steps to meet the requirements of HSPD-9. Because USDA has developed a department-wide strategy, USDA should now have greater assurance that its agencies' efforts align with departmental priorities and effectively allocate resources and that it is fulfilling its HSPD-9 responsibilities.

In response to GAO's August 2011 recommendation, USDA has taken initial steps to develop a process to track research gaps identified in NPDRS recovery plans and monitor progress in filling these gaps. NPDRS is designed to help the nation recover from plant disease outbreaks that could devastate the nation's production of economically important crops, and a major part of this effort has involved developing plant disease recovery plans that identify critical research gaps. USDA officials told GAO in November 2013 that the department's Agricultural Research Service has planned annual meetings with relevant USDA agencies, other federal agencies, and the American Phytopathological Society—a nonprofit partner dedicated to the study and control of plant diseases—to provide coordination and tracking among federal, state, and local agencies and the private industry sector. For example, USDA hosted an interagency workshop in April 2013, which included discussions about updating existing NPDRS plant disease recovery plans and prioritizing new plans. USDA also held a meeting in August 2013 in conjunction with the American Phytopathological Society's annual meeting, which included discussions about identifying authors for future plans, revising and updating existing recovery plans, and developing a standard template for future plant disease recovery plans. In March 2015, USDA officials told us that they now track research progress, including filling gaps identified in recovery plans, when NPDRS recovery plans are revised. According to USDA officials, each recovery plan update includes specific documentation of new publications in scientific journals and Internet addresses with new electronic information. Officials noted that each revised recovery plan highlights significant research advances and points out either new or continuing research needs. Because USDA has developed a documented, systematic process to track research gaps identified in NPDRS recovery plans, USDA will now have access to critical information needed to help the nation recover from a high-consequence plant disease.

In response to GAO's August 2011 recommendation, the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have met periodically to determine if there are opportunities for NVS to leverage the SNS's mechanisms or infrastructure and have taken steps to develop a Memorandum of Agreement to formalize their relationship. USDA's NVS contains resources to respond to the 17 most damaging animal diseases affecting human health and the economy, and HHS's SNS contains medical supplies to address public health emergencies. Officials from both NVS and SNS told us that, in March 2014, the two programs shared lessons learned from previous SNS and NVS exercises. Officials stated that they also discussed the feasibility of using the SNS's inventory management and tracking system as a potential tool for state and local response managers to track supplies provided by NVS during a veterinary emergency. According to officials, in fall 2014, the SNS and NVS communicated about the Ebola outbreak response, including discussions about whether certain NVS equipment could be used to assist in response efforts. In December 2014, officials from USDA and HHS signed a Memorandum of Agreement to formalize their relationship and outline opportunities for future collaboration. Because this ongoing relationship has been formalized in a Memorandum of Agreement, the two departments will have greater assurance that they are taking advantage of all opportunities to make efficient use of federal resources in years to come.