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Open Recommendations

DOD Food Program: Additional Actions Needed to Implement, Oversee, and Evaluate Nutrition Efforts for Service Members
GAO-24-106155
Jun 24, 2024
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16 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of the Army The Secretary of the Army should establish guidance that addresses what steps dining facilities should take to implement each of the required Go for Green® program elements. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should ensure the Commandant of the Marine Corps establishes guidance that addresses what steps dining facilities should take to implement each of the required Go for Green® elements in the Marine Corps' Fueled to Fight® program. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Navy The Secretary of the Navy should establish guidance that addresses what steps dining facilities should take to implement each of the required Go for Green® program elements. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of the Air Force The Secretary of the Air Force should establish guidance that addresses what steps dining facilities should take to implement each of the required Go for Green® program elements. (Recommendation 4)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should evaluate and, as needed, clarify or adjust responsibilities for leadership of the forthcoming Defense Feeding and Nutrition Board to guide food transformation efforts. (Recommendation 5)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Department of Defense The Secretary of Defense should ensure the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, in coordination with the forthcoming Defense Feeding and Nutrition Board, develops the congressionally directed plan to increase access to healthy food on installations. (Recommendation 6)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.

Food Safety: FDA Should Finalize Plans to Implement Its Rule to Help Trace Source of Outbreaks
GAO-24-106563
Jan 18, 2024
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1 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Food and Drug Administration The FDA Commissioner should direct the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition to finalize and document an implementation plan to help the agency achieve its regulatory goal of compliance with the food traceability rule by January 20, 2026. Such a plan should include FDA's resource needs, strategies for facilitating compliance with the rule, and detailed plans for communicating with and educating regulated entities, nonfederal regulatory partners, and FDA regulatory staff about the rule's requirements. (Recommendation 1)
Open
FDA agreed with this recommendation. We will update the status of the recommendation when we receive information from the agency regarding their actions to implement it.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Strengthening Interagency Collaboration Could Help Inform Nutrition Research and Future Guidelines
GAO-24-106130
Nov 16, 2023
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2 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of Health and Human Services should ensure that the Assistant Secretary of Health—as co-chair of the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research—fully incorporates seven leading interagency collaboration practices in order to better inform and prioritize DGA-related nutrition research. Actions to incorporate these practices could include ensuring that agency research plans are complementary and reflect the current desired outcomes and conducting an inventory of federal authorities, activities, and appropriations related to nutrition research that could inform the DGA development process. (Recommendation 1)
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In its written comments, HHS agreed with this recommendation. In February 2024, HHS indicated that with dedicated funds and resources, the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research Committee could address the leading interagency collaboration practices and stated that it could establish and curate the inventory needed to support advancing human nutrition-related research to inform all public health research and policy, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In May 2024, HHS stated that it had proactively taken various actions to address the recommendation. For example, the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research is expanding the number of participating agencies to ensure representation across the federal government and to enhance collaboration and it is instituting meetings for the entire committee at least biannually. GAO will continue to monitor HHS's progress and provide additional information about the status of this recommendation. By fully incorporating leading interagency collaboration practices, HHS will be better able to ensure it has the research it needs to inform and prioritize future editions of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should ensure that the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics—as co-chair of the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research—fully incorporates seven leading interagency collaboration practices in order to better inform and prioritize DGA-related nutrition research. Actions to incorporate these practices could include ensuring that agency research plans are complementary and reflect the current desired outcomes and conducting an inventory of federal authorities, activities, and appropriations related to nutrition research that could inform the DGA development process. (Recommendation 2)
Open
In April 2024, USDA agreed with the recommendation and observed that there are existing processes in place through which interagency coordination could be leveraged to implement this recommendation. For example, USDA stated that it utilizes its annual Food and Nutrition Service research and evaluation plan to inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans process. However, USDA also indicated that without additional resources, such as hired staff, the Interagency Committee on Human Nutrition Research is restricted in its policy and research analytic activities. GAO will continue to monitor USDA's progress and provide additional information about the status of this recommendation. By fully incorporating leading interagency collaboration practices, USDA will be better able to ensure it has the research it needs to inform and prioritize future editions of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Sugar Program: Alternative Methods for Implementing Import Restrictions Could Increase Effectiveness
GAO-24-106144
Oct 31, 2023
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3 Open Recommendations
Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture The Secretary of Agriculture should evaluate the effectiveness of the WTO raw sugar tariff-rate quota allocation method versus other tariff-rate quota allocation methods to determine which would most effectively maintain an adequate sugar supply and minimizes costs to the government. (Recommendation 1)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative The U.S. Trade Representative should evaluate alternative WTO raw sugar tariff-rate quota allocation and reallocation methods to determine their consistency with international obligations and U.S. law, and whether they have any foreign policy implications. (Recommendation 2)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative The U.S. Trade Representative should use its completed evaluation and USDA's completed evaluation of WTO raw sugar tariff-rate quota allocation methods to determine whether they should continue using the current method, or select an alternative method. (Recommendation 3)
Open
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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