Department of Agriculture and Markets

Administration of Marketing Orders

The Department of Agriculture and Markets issues rules and regulations called marketing orders that are intended to enable certain agricultural producers to more effectively correlate the marketing of their products with market demand. The costs of administering the marketing orders are funded by assessments levied by the Department on the growers. Some of the administrative services are provided by organizations that are contracted by the Department. We examined the Department's administration of its marketing orders and found that considerable improvement is needed. For example, the Department does not monitor the extent to which certain contract goals are met and does not seek competition for the contracted services. We also question whether some of the expenses claimed for reimbursement by the contractors were necessary and reasonable. We recommend a number of improvements in the Department's administrative controls.

For a complete copy of Report 97-S-49 click here.
For a copy of the 90-day response click here.