tailieunhanh - Oversight of the National Organic Program

We conducted this audit to assess the effectiveness of the Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) corrective actions implemented in response to our prior audit Audit Report 01601-03-Hy 1 1 of the National Organic Program (NOP). We also conducted this audit because of the size and growth of the organic industry as well as the public’s increased interest in purchasing organic products. In 2008, the organic industry had sales of $ billion and had grown between 14 and 21 percent annually over the past decade. The NOP, created in October 2002, has the responsibility to assure consumers that organic products meet uniform standards and. | USDA . Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General Oversight of the National Organic Program Audit Report 01601-03-Hy March 2010 USDA . Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General Washington . 20250 DATE March 9 2010 REPLY TO ATTN OF 01601-03-Hy TO Rayne Pegg Administrator Agricultural Marketing Service ATTN Kevin L. Richardson Director Planning and Accountability Staff Compliance and Analysis Program FROM Gil H. Harden s Acting Assistant Inspector General for Audit SUBJECT Oversight of the National Organic Program This report presents the results of our audit of the National Organic Program. Your response to the official draft report dated February 25 2010 is included as exhibit B. Excerpts of your response and the Office of Inspector General s OIG position are incorporated into the Findings and Recommendations section of the report. Based on your response we have reached management decisions on all of the report s 14 recommendations and no further response to us is necessary. Please follow your agency s internal procedures in forwarding documentation for final action to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. We appreciate the courtesies and cooperation extended to us by members of your staff during this audit. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Background Section 1 Administration of the National Organic Finding 1 NOP Needs to Improve Its Enforcement of Organic Operations That Violate Recommendation Recommendation Recommendation Recommendation Recommendation Finding 2 Processing of Program Complaints Needed More Timely Recommendation Finding 3 NOP Did Not Properly Approve and Manage the California State Organic Recommendation Finding 4 AMS Needs to Determine Whether NOP Regulations Should Require Periodic Residue Recommendation Finding 5 Evaluations of NOP s Accreditation Process Were Not .