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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Inspector General
At a Glance
2007-P-00040
September 26, 2007
Catalyst for Improving the Environment
Why We Did This Review
We evaluated how the U.S.
Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA's) Strategic
Agricultural Initiative (SAI)
uses performance measures to
demonstrate results. We
specifically sought to
determine if SAI uses
performance measurement
tools and efficiency measures
that provide for continuous
program improvement.
Background
The SAI is a program that
helps growers of minor crops
replace high-risk pesticides
phased out or restricted
because of the Agency's
pesticide reevaluations.
Since 2001, the program has
given out about $4 million in
grants. According to Agency
staff, SAI fills a role within
EPA's regulatory framework
by helping minor crop growers
transition to reduced risk and
alternative methods of pest
management.
For further information,
contact our Office of
Congressional and Public
Liaison at (202) 566-2391.
To view the full report,
click on the following link:
www.epa.aov/oia/reports/2007/
20070926-2007-P-00040.pdf
Strategic Agricultural Initiative Needs Revisions
to Demonstrate Results
What We Found
The SAI program has not demonstrated how it fulfills its unique role of helping
growers transition away from Food Quality Protection Act high-risk pesticides.
The program does not have a strategic plan or similar documents that link project
mission and goals, logic model, performance measures, and the data collected by
the program. Headquarters and the regions have inconsistent priorities for
implementing the program. This lack of structure makes it difficult to measure
and validate results.
The SAI databases, which are used to gather data on project performance, lack
definitions and structure, and thus contain incomplete and extraneous information.
Therefore, the SAI program does not have performance measurement tools or
performance measures in place to ensure or facilitate continuous program
improvement.
What We Recommend
We recommend that EPA develop a needs assessment for the SAI program to
demonstrate how it fulfills its role in meeting Food Quality Protection Act
requirements. If the need is demonstrated, the Program Office should create a
strategic plan which sets clear priorities for the direction of the program.
For the SAI Projects database, the Agency should create guidance documents
and establish standards and procedures for data collection and entry into these
databases. SAI data and results should be accessible to grantees and other
interested stakeholders. EPA agreed to reassess the need for the SAI program.
If the SAI needs assessment demonstrates a unique need for SAI, EPA agreed to
develop a strategic plan, based on logic modeling, that will address the issues
identified in this evaluation and the SAI needs assessment.
These recommendations will result in approximately $1.5 million in annual grant
funds put to better use. This is because either the need for these grants will be
determined to no longer exist or, if needed, their effectiveness will be enhanced
following the creation of a strategic plan and associated goals, logic model,
performance measures, and data systems.

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