Financial Management USDA Faces Major Financial Management Challenges

Improving financial accountability throughout the federal government has been an area of emphasis since implementation of the Chief Financial Officers CFO Act of 1990, which required a CFO structure in 24 major agencies and the Office of Management and Budget 0MB to provide the necessary financial management leadership and focus. To help instill greater accountability and fix pervasive and costly control breakdowns, financial statements were required to be prepared and audited, beginning with those for fiscal year 1991, for revolving and trust funds and commercial activities. For 10 agencies-including USDA-audited financial statements were required as part of a pilot program to test this concept for an agencys entire operations. Since USDAs participation in the pilot program in 1991, USDA and several of its component agencies have received a series of unfavorable financial audit reports due to deficiencies in financial reporting that are attributable primarily to weaknesses in the agencys financial management systems. USDAs Chief Financial Officer recognizes the seriousness of these problems and has a number of efforts underway to address these issues.