Summary

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) water quality cost-share programs. GAO noted that: (1) major portions of USDA water quality programs and activities are not formally coordinated at the Department level, but are planned and implemented at the Under or Assistant Secretary level and on an agency-by-agency basis; (2) USDA has collected limited data on the results of its programs, activities, and cost-share payments to farmers and ranchers; and (3) producers in California, Maryland, and Iowa receive cost-share payments for water quality activities under various USDA programs and also participate in state-operated programs.