{"id":33,"date":"2026-05-25T20:43:28","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T20:43:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/marketrelocationreport.com\/?p=33"},"modified":"2026-05-25T20:43:28","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T20:43:28","slug":"usda-is-using-ai-but-doesnt-have-the-required-controls-to-manage-risks-watchdog-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/marketrelocationreport.com\/?p=33","title":{"rendered":"USDA is using AI, but doesn\u2019t have the required controls to manage risks, watchdog finds"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Agriculture Department is using artificial intelligence to identify risks in the supply chain, estimate yearly corn and soybean yields and make recommendations during the permitting process.<\/p>\n

Read more Nuclear waste oversight at risk as staffing vacancies mount, watchdog warns<\/a><\/p>\n

But the department doesn\u2019t have all of the required cybersecurity and governance controls to keep that technology in check, according to an inspector general released last week, which found that Agriculture doesn\u2019t even have a generative AI policy at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The department hasn\u2019t fully implemented cyber and risk controls in its AI systems, as required by federal standards, because it has prioritized using AI over setting up controls for the technology. The Trump administration has sought to aggressively roll out AI across the government, in addition to efforts to dominate with the technology on the world stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At USDA, AI systems \u201ccould be vulnerable and lack critical security controls, leaving the agency susceptible to data breaches or reputational harm\u201d because of the lack of strong governance around the technology, the new report says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Agriculture hasn\u2019t followed all the risk management and governance controls set in place by the Office of Management and Budget during the Biden administration and modified by the Trump administration. The department has installed a chief AI officer as required, but it hasn\u2019t updated agency policies \u2014 or implemented minimum risk management practices for AI systems deemed especially risky, like those that affect civil rights or critical infrastructure.<\/p>\n

Read more EPA\u2019s restructuring could change who shapes chemical risk decisions<\/a><\/p>\n

Almost none of the AI use cases in the department\u2019s fiscal year 2024 inventory had an authority to operate, a formal approval issued for technology systems meant to make sure that the government thinks through the risks associated with different technologies before using them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That means that management doesn\u2019t have assurance that the department has cybersecurity controls in place, the report says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The inventory itself may also be insufficient to account for all potential dangers, as the OIG said the department is at risk of shadow AI \u2014 technology used by employees that management isn\u2019t aware of or hasn\u2019t approved \u2014 creeping across the department, since it relies only on an annual data call for employees to self-report AI that they use.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The watchdog included several recommendations for the department to implement controls and update policies, all of which Agriculture agreed with.<\/p>\n

Read more Reported exposure of federal cybersecurity agency login data prompts Hill scrutiny<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Agriculture inspector general noted the agency has prioritized making use of the technology over setting up controls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech"],"yoast_head":"\nUSDA is using AI, but doesn\u2019t have the required controls to manage risks, watchdog finds - Market Relocation Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/marketrelocationreport.com\/?p=33\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"USDA is using AI, but doesn\u2019t have the required controls to manage risks, watchdog finds - 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