Inspector general finds irregularities at Agricultural Insurance Corp.

By THE STAR STAFF

The Puerto Rico Office of the Inspector General (OIG) on Tuesday reported significant operational, administrative, fiscal, and technological failures at the Agricultural Insurance Corporation (CSA by its initials in Spanish), issuing 21 findings indicating widespread noncompliance across the agency.

The intervention, which covered July 1, 2022 through May 1, 2026, comes as the Financial Oversight and Management Board continues pressing public entities to strengthen controls, improve record‑keeping, and comply with contracting and reporting requirements.

According to the OIG, the CSA’s internal processes for managing farmer policy files, government contracts, invoice pre‑intervention, fiscal records, and information systems showed persistent deficiencies. Auditors found incomplete documentation in farmer policy files, missing fiscal records, irregularities in professional service contracts, and vulnerabilities in the agency’s technology and operational continuity.

A physical inspection of the CSA’s file storage area revealed humidity and mold on ceilings and walls, a fire alarm system that appeared nonfunctional, and a lack of equipment to control temperature and moisture. Auditors also noted the absence of a log tracking who accesses official records — a basic safeguard required for the custody of public documents.

From a sample of 201 files out of 15,278, the OIG determined that CSA records frequently lacked required forms and supporting documents. The agency’s weak controls, the report states, create conditions for errors, irregularities, legal exposure and future complications in farm evaluations, policy issuance and claims processing.