Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Request-Nutrition Assistance in Farmers' Markets: Understanding the Shopping Patterns of SNAP Participants, 79646-79648 [2011-32798]
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79646
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 76, No. 246
Thursday, December 22, 2011
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
January 21, 2010.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments
regarding (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB),
OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or
fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail
Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–
7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received
within 30 days of this notification.
Copies of the submission(s) may be
obtained by calling (202) 720–8681.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
VerDate Mar<15>2010
19:17 Dec 21, 2011
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the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comments Request—Nutrition
Assistance in Farmers’ Markets:
Understanding the Shopping Patterns
of SNAP Participants
Title: Fruits, Nut, and Specialty
Crops.
OMB Control Number: 0535–0039.
Summary of Collection: The primary
function of the National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS) is to prepare
and issue current official state and
national estimates of crop and livestock
production. Estimates of fruit, tree nuts,
and specialty crops are an integral part
of this program. These estimates support
the NASS strategic plan to cover all
agricultural cash receipts. The authority
to collect these data activities is granted
under U.S. Code title 7, Section 2204.
Information is collected on a voluntary
basis from growers, processors, and
handlers through surveys.
Need and Use of the Information:
Data reported on fruit, nut, specialty
crops and Hawaii tropical crops are
used by NASS to estimate acreage,
yield, production, utilization, and crop
value in States with significant
commercial production. These estimates
are essential to farmers, processors, and
handlers in making production and
marketing decisions. Estimates from
these inquiries are used by market order
administrators in their determination of
expected supplies of crop under federal
and state market orders as well as
competitive fruits and nuts.
Description of Respondents: Farms;
Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents: 63,305.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
On occasion; Annually; Quarterly;
Semi-annually; Monthly.
Total Burden Hours: 16,489.
Charlene Parker,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011–32731 Filed 12–21–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
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Sfmt 4703
Food And Nutrition Service
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the public and other
public agencies to comment on this
proposed information collection. This is
a revision to a previous data collection
regarding Farmers’ Market Operations.
The purpose of this collection is for the
Food and Nutrition Service to examine
the reasons behind the shopping
decision at farmers’ markets among
recipients of Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before February 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden on the proposed
collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions that were used; (c) ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Steven
Carlson, Office of Research and
Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service/
USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room
1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments
may also be submitted via fax to the
attention of Steven Carlson at (703) 305–
2017 or via email to
Steve.Carlson@fns.usda.gov. Comments
will also be accepted through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and follow
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM
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79647
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 246 / Thursday, December 22, 2011 / Notices
the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the Office of the
Food and Nutrition Service during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to
5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1014,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for Office of Management and Budget
approval. All comments will be a matter
of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collected
should be directed to Steven Carlson at
(703) 305–2017.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Nutrition Assistance in Farmers’
Markets: Understanding the Shopping
Patterns of SNAP Participants.
OMB Number: 0564–Revision.
Expiration Date of Approval: 11/30/
2014.
Abstract: The USDA, Food and
Nutrition Service (FNS), is pursuing
initiatives to improve access to healthy
foods among nutrition assistance
program clients. Among these are steps
to support access to fresh fruits and
vegetables through farmers’ markets.
The overall objective of this collection
is to promote opportunities for nutrition
assistance program clients to take
advantage of farmers’ markets. In order
to meet this objective, FNS needs to
examine the reasons behind the
shopping decision at farmers’ markets
among recipients of Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
benefits. To this end, FNS is conducting
a survey with SNAP participants who
purchase food in a catchment area
around a nationally representative
sample of farmers’ markets that
redeemed at least $1,000 in SNAP
benefits from July 2010 through June
2011. This survey will be implemented
with a sample of SNAP participants
from two groups that are of particular
interest to FNS:
1. SNAP participants who used their
EBT card at a farmers’ market in the past
year; and
2. SNAP participants who have not
used their EBT card at a farmers’ market
in the past year.
The data collection activities to be
undertaken subject to this notice
include:
• The questionnaire will be
administered to SNAP participants
represented in the two categories of
participants above. First, a hard-copy
survey will be mailed to SNAP
participants, and they will be asked to
return it in a postage-paid envelope.
Those with bad addresses and those
who do not respond to the mailing will
be contacted by telephone and will be
given an option to complete a telephone
interview.
• To supplement the survey data,
twelve focus groups will be conducted
with SNAP participants. Three groups
will be held with English-language users
of EBT cards at farmers’ markets, three
groups will be held with Spanish-
language users of EBT cards at farmers’
markets, three groups will be held with
English-language non-users of their EBT
card at a farmers’ market, and three
groups will be held with Spanishlanguage non-users of their EBT card at
a farmers’ market.
Affected Public: Respondent groups
identified include: Individuals/
Households (SNAP clients).
Estimated Number of Respondents:
The total number of respondents is
4,806. This includes 3,750 SNAP
participants (80% who will complete
interviews) and 1,056 SNAP
participants (96 will participate in the
focus group discussions).
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: SNAP participants will
complete the survey one time. SNAP
participants will attend the focus group
once.
Estimated time per Response: SNAP
participants who have used their EBT
card at a farmers’ market in the past year
will take approximately 20 minutes
(.3333 hours) to complete the survey.
SNAP participants who have not used
their EBT card at a farmers’ market in
the past year will take approximately
25 minutes (.4166 hours) to complete
the survey. Each SNAP participant will
participate in the focus group
discussion for approximately 1.5 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 1,374 hours. See the table
below for estimated total annual burden
for each type of respondent.
ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS
Number of respondents
Respondent
Number of responses per
respondent
Average
burden per
response
(in hours)
Estimated total
annual responses
Total burden
(in hours)
SNAP Client Survey
SNAP clients who used EBT card at farmers’ market:
Completed ...................................................................
Attempted ....................................................................
SNAP clients who did not use EBT card at farmers’ market:
Completed ...................................................................
Attempted ....................................................................
1,000
250
1,000
250
.3333
.0333
333.30
8.33
2,000
500
1
1
2,000
500
.4166
.0333
833.20
16.65
3,750
Survey Total ........................................................
1
1
........................
3,750
..........................
1,191.48
jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Focus Group with SNAP Clients
Recruitment Screener:
Completed ...................................................................
Attempted ....................................................................
Focus Group Discussion:
Completed ...................................................................
Attempted ....................................................................
Focus Group Total ...............................................
................................................................................
VerDate Mar<15>2010
19:17 Dec 21, 2011
Jkt 226001
PO 00000
120
840
1
1
120
840
.0835
.0334
10.02
28.06
96
0
1
1
96
0
1.50
..........................
144.00
........................
1,056
........................
........................
........................
1,056
........................
..........................
..........................
182.08
........................
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79648
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 246 / Thursday, December 22, 2011 / Notices
ESTIMATED ANNUALIZED BURDEN HOURS—Continued
Number of respondents
Respondent
Number of responses per
respondent
4,806
........................
4,806
Total ..............................................................
Dated: December 15, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–32798 Filed 12–21–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Understanding the
Rates, Causes, and Costs of Churning
in the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP)
Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the general public and
other public agencies to comment on
this proposed information collection.
This collection is a new collection for
research on the rates, causes, and costs
of churning in SNAP.
DATES: Written comments must be
received on or before February 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information shall have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions that
were used; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Steven
Carlson, Office of Research and
Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1014,
Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may
also be submitted via fax to the attention
of Steven Carlson at (703) 305–2576 or
jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
19:17 Dec 21, 2011
Jkt 226001
via email to
Steve.Carlson@fns.usda.gov. Comments
will also be accepted through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to
https://www.regulations.gov, and follow
the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the office of the
Food and Nutrition Service during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to
5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Room 1014,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for Office of Management and Budget
approval. All comments will be a matter
of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection
should be directed to Steven Carlson at
(703) 305–2017. Information requests
submitted through email should refer to
the title of this proposed collection and/
or the OMB approval number in the
subject line.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Understanding the Rates,
Causes, and Costs of Churning in SNAP.
Form Number: [If applicable, insert
number].
OMB Number: 0584–NEW.
Expiration Date: [Insert date or Not
Yet Determined].
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly
known as the Food Stamp Program) is
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
(USDA’s) largest nutrition program,
enabling millions of low-income
Americans to purchase groceries. It
served an average of 40.3 million people
per month in Fiscal Year 2010, growing
from 17.1 million in Fiscal Year 2000.
The program is designed to respond to
broad economic and individual
circumstances as they change over time.
For this reason, households move on
and off the program as they become
benefit-eligible and then lose eligibility
because of changing income and
household circumstances. A new job, a
reduction in work hours, the addition of
a household member, someone moving
out, or other changes in household
income or composition can affect
PO 00000
Average
burden per
response
(in hours)
Estimated total
annual responses
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
..........................
Total burden
(in hours)
1,373.56
eligibility and lead naturally to program
entry and exit.
There are also times, however, when
households leave the program despite
remaining eligible. Eligible households
not receiving SNAP benefits are of
concern to the program because of their
reduced access to nutritious foods.
The Office of Research and Analysis
(ORA) in USDA’s Food and Nutrition
Service (FNS) has undertaken a study
on the causes and costs of churning in
SNAP. Churning occurs when a SNAP
participant leaves the program and
returns within a short period of time,
defined here as four months or less.
Churning is a policy concern because of
its presumed adverse effects on
participants and on the administering
agencies. When churn occurs, agency
staff must re-collect paperwork and recomplete the application process for
households whose eligibility may not
have changed since they left the
program and who thus may have
incurred a loss of benefits. The study
seeks to better understand (1) the rates
and patterns of churning; (2) why
participants churn; (3) what happens
administratively when a participant
returns to SNAP after a brief spell of
non-receipt, and (4) the costs of churn
to both programs and participants.
The study includes a quantitative
research component involving the use of
administrative data in six states and a
qualitative research component
involving on-site staff interviews and
participant focus groups in six study
sites. At each of the six sites, hour-long
semi-structured interviews will be
conducted with state and local SNAP
administrators, SNAP caseworkers, and
directors of community-based
organizations involved with SNAP
outreach. Also at each site, two focus
groups will be conducted with SNAP
participants who have experienced
churn. Each group will consist of five
individuals and will last one hour.
Recruitment for each focus group will
require three-minute telephone calls to
ten individuals.
Affected Public: (State, Local, Tribal
Government, Business (Not-for-Profit),
Individual/Households).
Respondent groups identified include:
(1) SNAP administrators; (2) SNAP
caseworkers; (3) directors of
E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 246 (Thursday, December 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79646-79648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32798]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food And Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comments Request--Nutrition Assistance in Farmers' Markets:
Understanding the Shopping Patterns of SNAP Participants
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice invites the public and other public agencies to comment on this
proposed information collection. This is a revision to a previous data
collection regarding Farmers' Market Operations. The purpose of this
collection is for the Food and Nutrition Service to examine the reasons
behind the shopping decision at farmers' markets among recipients of
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before February 21,
2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden on the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions that were used; (c) ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology.
Comments may be sent to: Steven Carlson, Office of Research and
Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service/USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room
1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to
the attention of Steven Carlson at (703) 305-2017 or via email to
Steve.Carlson@fns.usda.gov. Comments will also be accepted through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow
[[Page 79647]]
the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for public inspection at the
Office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive,
Room 1014, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
be a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collected should be directed to Steven
Carlson at (703) 305-2017.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Nutrition Assistance in Farmers' Markets: Understanding the
Shopping Patterns of SNAP Participants.
OMB Number: 0564-Revision.
Expiration Date of Approval: 11/30/2014.
Abstract: The USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), is pursuing
initiatives to improve access to healthy foods among nutrition
assistance program clients. Among these are steps to support access to
fresh fruits and vegetables through farmers' markets. The overall
objective of this collection is to promote opportunities for nutrition
assistance program clients to take advantage of farmers' markets. In
order to meet this objective, FNS needs to examine the reasons behind
the shopping decision at farmers' markets among recipients of
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. To this end,
FNS is conducting a survey with SNAP participants who purchase food in
a catchment area around a nationally representative sample of farmers'
markets that redeemed at least $1,000 in SNAP benefits from July 2010
through June 2011. This survey will be implemented with a sample of
SNAP participants from two groups that are of particular interest to
FNS:
1. SNAP participants who used their EBT card at a farmers' market
in the past year; and
2. SNAP participants who have not used their EBT card at a farmers'
market in the past year.
The data collection activities to be undertaken subject to this
notice include:
The questionnaire will be administered to SNAP
participants represented in the two categories of participants above.
First, a hard-copy survey will be mailed to SNAP participants, and they
will be asked to return it in a postage-paid envelope. Those with bad
addresses and those who do not respond to the mailing will be contacted
by telephone and will be given an option to complete a telephone
interview.
To supplement the survey data, twelve focus groups will be
conducted with SNAP participants. Three groups will be held with
English-language users of EBT cards at farmers' markets, three groups
will be held with Spanish-language users of EBT cards at farmers'
markets, three groups will be held with English-language non-users of
their EBT card at a farmers' market, and three groups will be held with
Spanish-language non-users of their EBT card at a farmers' market.
Affected Public: Respondent groups identified include: Individuals/
Households (SNAP clients).
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total number of respondents is
4,806. This includes 3,750 SNAP participants (80% who will complete
interviews) and 1,056 SNAP participants (96 will participate in the
focus group discussions).
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: SNAP participants
will complete the survey one time. SNAP participants will attend the
focus group once.
Estimated time per Response: SNAP participants who have used their
EBT card at a farmers' market in the past year will take approximately
20 minutes (.3333 hours) to complete the survey. SNAP participants who
have not used their EBT card at a farmers' market in the past year will
take approximately 25 minutes (.4166 hours) to complete the survey.
Each SNAP participant will participate in the focus group discussion
for approximately 1.5 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,374 hours. See the
table below for estimated total annual burden for each type of
respondent.
Estimated annualized burden hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Average
Number of Number of Estimated burden per Total burden
Respondent respondents responses per total annual response (in (in hours)
respondent responses hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SNAP Client Survey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SNAP clients who used EBT card
at farmers' market:
Completed................... 1,000 1 1,000 .3333 333.30
Attempted................... 250 1 250 .0333 8.33
SNAP clients who did not use EBT
card at farmers' market:
Completed................... 2,000 1 2,000 .4166 833.20
Attempted................... 500 1 500 .0333 16.65
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey Total............ 3,750 .............. 3,750 .............. 1,191.48
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Focus Group with SNAP Clients
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recruitment Screener:
Completed................... 120 1 120 .0835 10.02
Attempted................... 840 1 840 .0334 28.06
Focus Group Discussion:
Completed................... 96 1 96 1.50 144.00
Attempted................... 0 1 0 .............. ..............
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Focus Group Total....... 1,056 .............. 1,056 .............. 182.08
.............. .............. .............. .............. ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 79648]]
Total............... 4,806 .............. 4,806 .............. 1,373.56
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dated: December 15, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-32798 Filed 12-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
