GAO Says NRCS Needs Improvement in Wetland Determinations

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is making recommendations to USDA regarding their management of wetlands, especially in the prairie pothole region in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. This follows a detailed report issued by the non-partisan group after examination of the steps the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has taken to increase the consistency of wetland determinations and the approaches used to ensure compliance with the provisions.

Under wetland conservation provisions in federal law, to receive the benefits of certain USDA farm programs, farmers must not convert wetlands to cropland. NRCS determines where wetlands exist on the land of farmers who participate in USDA farm programs, and it identifies violations of wetland provisions.

Though the Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers farm program benefits, USDA’s Office of Inspector General reported in 2017 that NRCS had implemented wetland determination procedures in the region inconsistently. So, GAO is making six recommendations that include NRCS use a risk-based approach for its annual compliance check, and that FSA specifies what constitutes adequate justification to grant good-faith waivers.

The agencies agreed with five recommendations and partly agreed with the sixth, which GAO modified, and are working to improve compliance.
(SOURCE: All Ag News)