OFFICE OF 

INSPECTOR GENERAL 

Physical Security in the Farm 

Credit AdministraƟon's 

Dallas Field Office 

I‐18‐02 

InspecƟon Report 

Inspector 

Tori Kaufman 

Sonya Cerne 

Issued April 19, 2018 

FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION 
OBJECTIVE

The objective of the inspection was 

to determine the effectiveness of 

controls related to physical security 

in the Dallas field office. 

BACKGROUND

The Farm Credit Administration 

(FCA or Agency) is an independent 

Federal agency responsible for 

regulating, examining, and 

supervising the Farm Credit System 

and the Federal Agricultural 

Mortgage Corporation. The 

mission of the Agency is to ensure 

a safe, sound, and dependable 

source of credit and related 

services for all creditworthy and 

eligible persons in agriculture and 

rural America. 

FCA employees are critical to 

achieving its mission, and the 

Agency identifies its people as a 

strategic priority. A critical aspect 

of this priority is physical security 

for employees and offices. FCA has 

its headquarters and a field office 

in McLean, Virginia. The Agency 

also has four field offices in 

Bloomington, Minnesota; Dallas, 

Texas; Denver, Colorado; and 

Sacramento, California.

The Farm Credit System Building

Association (FCSBA) leases the 

office space for FCA field offices.

Physical security controls safeguard FCA employees and 

assets. Physical security is unique in different locations and 

buildings, and the strongest controls cannot eliminate 

security risks. However, strong controls and preparedness 

can improve overall security. For this inspection, we 

reviewed the Dallas field office. Our review focused on 

controls in the following areas:

• Access,

• Computers and other equipment,

• Emergency preparedness, and

• Personnel records.

To test physical security controls, we performed 

walkthroughs and surveyed selected employees. We 

developed a checklist to test controls in each area. Because 

each field office is unique, this checklist served as a 

framework to identify areas for improvement. 

To accomplish our objective, we also reviewed laws, 

regulations, policies, and procedures; interviewed Agency 

personnel; and reviewed prior reviews related to our 

objective. This inspection was performed in accordance with 

the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and 

Efficiency’s Quality Standards for Inspection and Evaluation.

We found controls were in place and generally effective. 

However, we identified opportunities to further improve 

physical security in the Dallas field office. The Agency 

initiated corrective actions based on this review and agreedupon actions in physical security inspections conducted 

during 2017. Therefore, we are not making any 

recommendations in this report.

This report contains sensitive information about FCA and 

potential vulnerabilities that could be used against the 

Agency; therefore, we are not releasing it publicly. 
FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Report Fraud, Waste, Abuse, Mismanagement

Phone: Toll Free (800) 437-7322; (703) 883-4316 

Fax: (703) 883-4059 

E-mail: fca-ig-hotline@rcn.com

Mail: Farm Credit Administration

Office of Inspector General

1501 Farm Credit Drive

McLean, VA 22102