Availability to School Food Authorities of Nutrition Information and Ingredient Lists for Foods Used in School Food Service: Request for Information, 51935-51936 [2011-21148]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 161 / Friday, August 19, 2011 / Notices importation into the United States, our review of the information presented by Argentina in support of its subsequent request to recognize the Mendoza province of Argentina as free of A. fraterculus is examined in a CIED titled ‘‘Recognition of additional Provinces as Anastrepha fraterculus Pest-Free Areas (PFA) for Argentina.’’ The CIED may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies of the CIED by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Therefore, in accordance with § 319.56–5(c), we are announcing the Administrator’s determination that the Southern and Central Oases in the southern half of Mendoza Province meet the criteria of § 319.56–5(a) and (b) with respect to freedom from the South American fruit fly and all other economically important species of Anastrepha. After reviewing the comments we receive on this notice and taking into consideration the comments we received on our June 2010 notice regarding the areas’ Medfly status, we will announce our decision regarding the status of these areas with respect to their freedom from Medfly and South American fruit fly. If the Administrator’s determination remains unchanged, we will amend the list of pest-free areas to list Southern and Central Oases of the Mendoza Province of Argentina as free of Medfly and South American fruit fly. Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of August 2011. Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2011–21213 Filed 8–18–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Availability to School Food Authorities of Nutrition Information and Ingredient Lists for Foods Used in School Food Service: Request for Information Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. ACTION: Request for information from the public. AGENCY: Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program (‘‘SMPs’’) SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:32 Aug 18, 2011 Jkt 223001 need nutrition information and ingredient lists for menu planning and to assess foods to be used in meeting meal pattern requirements of the SMPs. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is interested in examining what nutrition information and ingredient lists are made available to schools, the manner and scope of the information’s accessibility, and how that information and accessibility compare with the information schools may be seeking. FNS would like to better understand what information sources, such as the Child Nutrition Database, USDA Foods nutrition fact sheets, and information directly from the manufacturer, are used by schools to both procure foods and plan menus for the SMPs. FNS has received numerous inquiries from schools seeking assistance in locating and assessing nutrition information and ingredient lists for USDA Foods as well as commercially selected foods. A better understanding of what nutrition information and ingredients lists are provided, the source of the information and the medium in which the information is received are all necessary components to fully understand what resources schools need to successfully plan SMPs meals. In addition, we anticipate this information will provide FNS with key insights in our implementation of Section 9(a)(4)(C) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. 1758(a)(4)(C) as amended by Section 242 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Public Law 111–296. DATES: Information must be received on or before November 17, 2011. ADDRESSES: Information may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow online instructions for submitting comments. Information may also be submitted by mail to: Alexandra Lewin, Nutritionist, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 500, Alexandria, VA 22302. Respondents are strongly encouraged to submit comments through https:// www.regulations.gov, as it will simplify the review of their input and help to ensure that it receives full consideration. All information submitted in response to this notice will be included in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that the substance of the information and the identity of the individuals or entities submitting the information will be subject to public disclosure. All information will be made available publicly on the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov. PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 51935 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexandra Lewin, Nutritionist, at Alexandra.lewin@fns.usda.gov or 703– 305–2705. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. Background Schools that participate in the SMPs must meet Federal meal pattern requirements and compliance assessments. Selecting and ordering foods commercially and through the USDA Foods program involves a number of factors that include an understanding of both the nutritional content of and ingredients contained in food offered to schools and ultimately served to students. In addition, as schools look to increase the nutritional quality of the meals served, meet revised meal pattern requirements, apply for HealthierUS School Challenge certification, and/or detect allergens that may affect their students, access to relevant, timely and comprehensive nutrition information and ingredient lists is essential. FNS would like to better understand what, where, and how nutrition information and ingredient lists are provided to schools—and what information schools are seeking—when ordering and receiving products to prepare as part of a school meal. 2. Key Issues on Which Public Input is Requested This document requests the public to inform FNS on the following statements as they relate to foods served in school meal programs: a. How schools obtain nutrition information and ingredient lists about foods used in school food service, including commercially selected foods and USDA Foods, when ordering food for a school (e.g., computerized ordering system, contacting the manufacturer directly, searching the manufacturer’s Web site, etc.). b. How schools obtain nutrition information and ingredient lists about commercially selected foods and USDA Foods when food gets delivered to a school (e.g., fact sheet, label on institutional pack, vendor Web site, etc.). c. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists are easily accessible prior to ordering food. d. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists are easily accessible when food gets delivered to a school. e. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists available to schools prior to ordering food are adequate. f. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists provided upon delivery to schools are adequate. E:\FR\FM\19AUN1.SGM 19AUN1 51936 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 161 / Friday, August 19, 2011 / Notices g. Challenges food manufacturers, processors, distributors, brokers and others in food service may face when providing nutrition information and ingredient lists to schools. h. Most desirable method to obtain nutrition information and ingredient lists when ordering food for a school. i. Most desirable method to obtain nutrition information and ingredient lists when food gets delivered to a school. j. Whether a school food authority’s solicitation for food items contains clear statements regarding the need for nutrition information and/or ingredient lists. k. Schools’ whole-grain ordering needs, including: (1) Whether schools receive adequate ingredient information to determine whether foods are whole-grain. (2) What specific documentation, if any, a school is looking for when purchasing whole-grain products. l. Whether schools tend to use previously developed specifications or develop new specifications to reflect nutritional and ingredient needs of the program/students. m. The frequency with which schools write specifications using ingredient lists or nutrition information from previously ordered products. Dated: August 12, 2011. Audrey Rowe, Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. [FR Doc. 2011–21148 Filed 8–18–11; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–30–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, Arizona, Four-Forest Restoration Initiative Forest Service, USDA. Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; Correction. AGENCY: ACTION: On January 25, 2011, the Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) was published in the Federal Register (76 FR 4279–4281). From January, 2011 to June, 2011, six public meetings and workshops were held for the purposes of receiving comments and recommendations that would inform the development of a refined proposed action. As a result, the Forest Service revised the NOI document, Federal Register of January 25, 2011 (76 FR 4279–4281) to incorporate the changes to the proposed action. On August 12, jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 18:32 Aug 18, 2011 Jkt 223001 2011, a corrected NOI was published in the Federal Register (76 FR 50168– 50170). Due to a need to incorporate an edit in the proposed action and reschedule the public open houses, the Forest Service has revised the NOI document to read: Revision: The Forest Service is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) that proposes to conduct restoration activities on approximately 600,000 acres on the Coconino NF and Kaibab NF. Of this total, approximately 361,379 acres would be treated on the Coconino NF and 233,991 acres would be treated on the Kaibab NF. Restoration actions would be focused on the Flagstaff district with fewer acres included on the Mogollon Rim and Red Rock districts of the Coconino NF. On the Kaibab NF, activities would occur on the Williams and Tusayan districts. The objective of the project is to reestablish forest structure, pattern and composition, which will lead to increased forest resiliency and function. Resiliency increases the ability of the ponderosa pine forest to survive natural disturbances such as insect and disease, fire and climate change (FSM 2020.5). This project is expected to put the project area on a trajectory towards comprehensive, landscape-scale restoration with benefits that include improved vegetation biodiversity, wildlife habitat, soil productivity, and watershed function. DATES: Comments concerning the scope of the analysis must be received by September 2, 2011. The draft environmental impact statement is expected by January of 2012 and the final environmental impact statement is expected in the summer of 2012. ADDRESSES: Send written comments to Coconino National Forest, Attention: 4FRI, 1824 S. Thompson Street, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to 4FRI_comments@fs.fed.us, or via facsimile to (928) 527–3620. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Henry Provencio, 4 FRI Team Leader at (928) 226–4684 or via e-mail at hprovencio@fs.fed.us. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Extensive research has demonstrated that current ponderosa pine forests of the Southwest are greatly altered in PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 terms of forest structure, density, and ecological function. Most pine forests in the Southwest are at much higher risk of high intensity and severe fire than they were prior to European settlement (Covington 1993, Moore et al. 1999). A century ago the pine forests had widelyspaced large trees with a more open, herbaceous forest floor (Cooper 1960). These conditions were maintained by fairly frequent low-severity surface fires that did not kill the large trees (Fiedler et al. 1996). These fires occurred every 2 to 21 years and maintained an open canopy structure (Moir et al. 1997). Fire suppression, cattle grazing, timber production, and general human habitation in and near the forests over the last 100 years interrupted fire’s natural role in these fire-adapted ponderosa pine forests. As a result, the forests have shifted from naturally open conditions to high densities of small diameter trees (Covington and Moore 1994) dramatically increasing the size and severity of wildland fires (Swetnam and Betancourt 1998). The forests have become less resilient to natural disturbances and are vulnerable to largescale disturbances such as changing climatic conditions (drought), fire, insect, and disease. Purpose and Need for Action In contrast to having a ponderosa pine ecosystem consisting of groups of trees with an open tree canopy density mixed with interspaces, approximately 75 percent of the ponderosa pine forest type within the project area has a moderately closed to closed tree canopy density. An open tree canopy mixed with interspaces which mimic historical spatial patterns and provide for tree regeneration and the development of grass and forbs are lacking. There is a need to use management strategies that promote tree regeneration and understory vegetation. There is a need to move towards the historic range of variability for tree canopy density and patterns of tree groups and interspaces. Forest resiliency and diversity is dependent on the distribution of age and size classes. Currently, over 50 percent of the project area lacks age and size class diversity and is in an even-aged structure. The desired condition is to have a forest structure that represents all age classes necessary for a sustainable balance of regeneration, growth, mortality and decomposition. There is a need to implement un-even aged management strategies where appropriate. In goshawk habitat, habitat components such as an intermix of vegetation structural stages are lacking or limited in most stands. There is a E:\FR\FM\19AUN1.SGM 19AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 161 (Friday, August 19, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51935-51936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21148]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Availability to School Food Authorities of Nutrition Information 
and Ingredient Lists for Foods Used in School Food Service: Request for 
Information

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Request for information from the public.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program and 
the School Breakfast Program (``SMPs'') need nutrition information and 
ingredient lists for menu planning and to assess foods to be used in 
meeting meal pattern requirements of the SMPs. The U.S. Department of 
Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is interested in 
examining what nutrition information and ingredient lists are made 
available to schools, the manner and scope of the information's 
accessibility, and how that information and accessibility compare with 
the information schools may be seeking. FNS would like to better 
understand what information sources, such as the Child Nutrition 
Database, USDA Foods nutrition fact sheets, and information directly 
from the manufacturer, are used by schools to both procure foods and 
plan menus for the SMPs. FNS has received numerous inquiries from 
schools seeking assistance in locating and assessing nutrition 
information and ingredient lists for USDA Foods as well as commercially 
selected foods. A better understanding of what nutrition information 
and ingredients lists are provided, the source of the information and 
the medium in which the information is received are all necessary 
components to fully understand what resources schools need to 
successfully plan SMPs meals. In addition, we anticipate this 
information will provide FNS with key insights in our implementation of 
Section 9(a)(4)(C) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 
42 U.S.C. 1758(a)(4)(C) as amended by Section 242 of the Healthy, 
Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Public Law 111-296.

DATES: Information must be received on or before November 17, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Information may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow online instructions for 
submitting comments. Information may also be submitted by mail to: 
Alexandra Lewin, Nutritionist, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 500, 
Alexandria, VA 22302. Respondents are strongly encouraged to submit 
comments through https://www.regulations.gov, as it will simplify the 
review of their input and help to ensure that it receives full 
consideration. All information submitted in response to this notice 
will be included in the record and will be made available to the 
public. Please be advised that the substance of the information and the 
identity of the individuals or entities submitting the information will 
be subject to public disclosure. All information will be made available 
publicly on the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alexandra Lewin, Nutritionist, at 
Alexandra.lewin@fns.usda.gov or 703-305-2705.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

1. Background

    Schools that participate in the SMPs must meet Federal meal pattern 
requirements and compliance assessments. Selecting and ordering foods 
commercially and through the USDA Foods program involves a number of 
factors that include an understanding of both the nutritional content 
of and ingredients contained in food offered to schools and ultimately 
served to students. In addition, as schools look to increase the 
nutritional quality of the meals served, meet revised meal pattern 
requirements, apply for HealthierUS School Challenge certification, 
and/or detect allergens that may affect their students, access to 
relevant, timely and comprehensive nutrition information and ingredient 
lists is essential.
    FNS would like to better understand what, where, and how nutrition 
information and ingredient lists are provided to schools--and what 
information schools are seeking--when ordering and receiving products 
to prepare as part of a school meal.

2. Key Issues on Which Public Input is Requested

    This document requests the public to inform FNS on the following 
statements as they relate to foods served in school meal programs:
    a. How schools obtain nutrition information and ingredient lists 
about foods used in school food service, including commercially 
selected foods and USDA Foods, when ordering food for a school (e.g., 
computerized ordering system, contacting the manufacturer directly, 
searching the manufacturer's Web site, etc.).
    b. How schools obtain nutrition information and ingredient lists 
about commercially selected foods and USDA Foods when food gets 
delivered to a school (e.g., fact sheet, label on institutional pack, 
vendor Web site, etc.).
    c. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists are easily 
accessible prior to ordering food.
    d. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists are easily 
accessible when food gets delivered to a school.
    e. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists available to 
schools prior to ordering food are adequate.
    f. Whether nutrition information and ingredient lists provided upon 
delivery to schools are adequate.

[[Page 51936]]

    g. Challenges food manufacturers, processors, distributors, brokers 
and others in food service may face when providing nutrition 
information and ingredient lists to schools.
    h. Most desirable method to obtain nutrition information and 
ingredient lists when ordering food for a school.
    i. Most desirable method to obtain nutrition information and 
ingredient lists when food gets delivered to a school.
    j. Whether a school food authority's solicitation for food items 
contains clear statements regarding the need for nutrition information 
and/or ingredient lists.
    k. Schools' whole-grain ordering needs, including:
    (1) Whether schools receive adequate ingredient information to 
determine whether foods are whole-grain.
    (2) What specific documentation, if any, a school is looking for 
when purchasing whole-grain products.
    l. Whether schools tend to use previously developed specifications 
or develop new specifications to reflect nutritional and ingredient 
needs of the program/students.
    m. The frequency with which schools write specifications using 
ingredient lists or nutrition information from previously ordered 
products.

    Dated: August 12, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-21148 Filed 8-18-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

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