Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Enhancing Retail Food Store Eligibility-Listening Sessions, 52899-52900 [2013-20907]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 27, 2013 / Notices cases, the authors note that more research, additional data and/or extrapolation of current information are needed in order to establish a method. These research and data gaps are highlighted in the report. An approach to uncertainty assessment is also proposed. Specifically, USDA requests comments on: 1. Are sources of GHG emissions or sinks missing? Are the methods provided complete? Are there potential inconsistencies in and across the methods? 2. Are the proposed methods suitable for estimating GHG emissions at the farm-, forest- or entity-scale while meeting the selection criteria of transparency, consistency, comparability, completeness, accuracy, cost effectiveness, and ease of use? 3. Are new (or additional) data sources available for calculating emission factors? 4. Are there additional management practices for which the science and data are clear, and which should be addressed in the methods report? If yes, please provide details. 5. Are the methods appropriate across a variety of farm and forest entities as well as applicable to operations of any size? 6. Are the research gaps clearly identified? Are there additional gaps to note, or new data sources that significantly address any of the listed gaps? Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact the USDA’s Target Center at (202) 720– 2600 (voice and TDD). Dated: August 20, 2013. Joseph Glauber, Chief Economist. [FR Doc. 2013–20701 Filed 8–26–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–38–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Enhancing Retail Food Store Eligibility—Listening Sessions Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This Notice announces 5 listening sessions to support the Request for Information (RFI) published by FNS regarding Supplemental Nutrition SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:54 Aug 26, 2013 Jkt 229001 Assistance Program (SNAP) retailer eligibility requirements (78 FR 51136, August 20, 2013). As explained in the RFI, FNS is re-examining SNAP retailer eligibility requirements in part because of concerns raised in a recent FNS report examining the trafficking rates at different types of retail food stores and a 2006 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report suggesting that the minimal stocking requirements in SNAP contribute to corrupt retailers entering the program. The FNS report is available at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/menu/ Published/SNAP/FILES/ ProgramIntegrity/Trafficking2009_ Summary.pdf. The GAO report is available at: https://www.gao.gov/ products/GAO-07-53. Information on SNAP retailer eligibility requirements is available at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/ snap/retailers/store-eligibility.htm. The scheduled listening sessions provide an opportunity for FNS to seek public input on potential changes to retailer authorization requirements. DATES: Listening sessions are scheduled in 5 cities: Wednesday, August 28 in Ames, Iowa; Monday, September 9 in Baltimore, Maryland; Tuesday, September 10 in Greenville, Mississippi; Wednesday, September 11 in Chicago, Illinois; and Monday, September 16 in Los Angeles, California. ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically. Written comments can also be mailed or delivered to: Shanta Swezy, Chief, Retailer Management and Issuance Branch, Retailer Policy and Management Division, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 426, Alexandria, Virginia 22302. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact information is listed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Complete information for the five scheduled listening sessions is as follows: 1. City/State: Ames, Iowa; Date: Wednesday, August 28, 2013; Time: 4 p.m.–7 p.m.; Location: Iowa State University, Scheman Building Room 275; Address: 400 Beach Ave Iowa State Center, Ames, IA 50011; Contact: Bart Bushman (303) 844– 0310. 2. City/State: Baltimore, MD; Date: Monday, September 9, 2013; Time: 4 p.m.–7 p.m.; Location: Enoch Pratt Central Library; Address: 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 52899 21201; Contact: Margarita Maisterrena (609) 259–5091. 3. City/State: Greenville, MS; Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Time: 5 p.m.–8 p.m. Location: Greenville Higher Education Center. Address: 2900 A Highway 1 South, Greenville, MS; Contact: Debbie Smoot (404) 562–1810. 4. City/State: Chicago, IL; Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2013; Time: 4 p.m.–7 p.m.; Location: Walter Payton College Preparatory High School; Address: 1034 North Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60610; Contact: Alan Shannon (312) 353– 1045. 5. City/State: Los Angeles, CA; Date: Monday, September 16, 2013; Time: 4 p.m.–7 p.m.; Location: East Los Angeles Community Service Center; Address: 133 N. Sunol Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90063; Contact: Julie Yee (415) 705–1311. All sessions are open to the public and will be recorded. Each forum will begin with opening remarks from the USDA official charged with moderating the session. Both a sign language and a Spanish language interpreter will be available. Speakers’ time will be limited to four minutes. Written comments will also be accepted at every session. Each session location is accessible to persons with disabilities. The Agency is seeking public input regarding the following questions, with particular attention to impacts of each on program integrity, healthy food choices, access to food, and retailer operations. Listening session attendees will be provided with a list of these questions at the forum site: 1. Is ensuring that SNAP retailers provide SNAP clients access to healthy food choices a reasonable priority for establishing SNAP store eligibility criteria? 2. Are there store types that clearly meet all of the Program goals and, consequently, should always be eligible for SNAP participation? 3. Conversely, are there store types that do not effectively improve access to food choices (e.g., stores that sell low amounts of food when compared to the amounts of distilled liquor, tobacco and/or lottery tickets sold) and, therefore, should always be ineligible for SNAP participation? 4. Would a different definition of the ‘‘staple foods’’ required in SNAP authorized stores help to ensure that these stores offer more healthy food choices? If so, what kinds of changes would be most effective? Specifically, almost all foods can be counted towards meeting staple food requirements, E:\FR\FM\27AUN1.SGM 27AUN1 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 52900 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 27, 2013 / Notices including those high in added sugar, sodium or solid fats. Should foods high in these components be counted as staple foods when determining store authorization requirements? 5. How should prepared foods with multiple ingredients, such as chicken pot pie or other frozen dinners, or single serving meat jerky packages, be treated with regards to ‘‘staple foods’’ categories? 6. Do twelve items (the minimum amount necessary to meet SNAP authorization criterion A, by virtue of needing three varieties in the four different staple food categories) provide adequate variety for a retailer to further the Program’s purpose? If not, what would be a more appropriate requirement? 7. Currently, retailers who are authorized under criterion A are required to stock perishable items (e.g., fresh, frozen or refrigerated fruits and vegetables; dairy; meats, poultry and fish; bread or cereal) in two categories. Should perishable items be required in more than two categories? 8. Are 50 percent of sales in staple foods, as currently required for criterion B, sufficient to ensure that a SNAP authorized store furthers the program’s purpose, given the current definition of ‘‘staple foods?’’ Would this percentage be sufficient if the definition of ‘‘staple foods’’ is changed to exclude items high in added sugar, sodium or solid fats? 9. Should stores whose primary business (as evidenced by marketing, inventory or sales) is not the sale of food, be eligible to participate in SNAP? 10. Restaurants are generally prohibited from being SNAP retailers, and hot foods cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits. However, there are authorized retailers who primarily sell food for immediate consumption, often on premises, but also sell their products cold and heat them for SNAP recipients immediately after purchase for a nominal fee. These stores qualify today based on the array of raw ingredients, such as unbaked pizza or raw fish. Should such stores be eligible for participation in SNAP? 11. Should all retailers who meet SNAP eligibility criteria be authorized, even when sufficient store access for recipients is not a concern? 12. If store access were a concern in an area where no store meets basic eligibility criteria for SNAP authorization, how should FNS select the stores to authorize that best serve the needs of the client population? Should FNS employ an evaluation and scoring system? If so, what criteria should make up such a system? VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:54 Aug 26, 2013 Jkt 229001 13. How should integrity and management priorities be balanced against healthy food choice criteria in the SNAP authorization process? What elements could be used to assess integrity risks, and how should they be applied? 14. Are there any other ways in which the criteria for retailer eligibility should be changed? If so, how? Dated: August 22, 2013. Audrey Rowe, Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. [FR Doc. 2013–20907 Filed 8–26–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–30–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Request for Applications: The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. ACTION: Request for applications AGENCY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, requests applications for the Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program (Community Forest Program or CFP). This is a competitive grant program whereby local governments, qualified nonprofit organizations, and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for grants to establish community forests through fee simple acquisition of private forest land from a willing seller. The purpose of the program is to establish community forests by protecting forest land from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits such as sustainable forest management, environmental benefits including clean air, water, and wildlife habitat; benefits from forest-based educational programs; benefits from serving as models of effective forest stewardship; and recreational benefits secured with public access. Eligible lands for grants funded under this program are private forest land that is at least five acres in size, suitable to sustain natural vegetation, and at least 75 percent forested. The lands must also be threatened by conversion to nonforest uses, must not be held in trust by the United States on behalf of any Indian tribe, must not be Tribal allotment lands, must be offered for sale by a willing seller, and if acquired by an eligible entity, must provide defined community benefits under CFP and allow public access. DATES: Interested local government and nonprofit applicants must submit SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 applications to the State Forester. Tribal applicants must submit applications to the appropriate Tribal government officials. All applications must be received by State Foresters or Tribal governments by January 15, 2014. State Foresters or Tribal government officials must forward applications to the Forest Service Region, Northeastern Area or International Institute of Tropical Forestry by February 17, 2014. ADDRESSES: All local government and qualified nonprofit organization applications must be submitted to the State Forester of the State where the property is located. All Indian tribal applications must be submitted to the Tribal government officials of the Indian tribe. Applicants are encouraged to contact and work with the Forest Service Region, Northeastern Area, or International Institute of Tropical Forestry, and the State Forester or equivalent official of the Indian tribe when developing their proposal. The State Forester’s contact information may be found at https://www.fs.fed.us/spf/ coop/programs/loa/cfp.shtml. All applicants must also send an email to communityforest@fs.fed.us to confirm an application has been submitted for funding consideration. State Foresters and Tribal government officials shall submit applications to the appropriate Forest Service Regional/ Area/Institute contact noted below. Northern and Intermountain Regions Regions 1 and 4, (ID, MT, ND, NV, UT) Janet Valle, U.S. Forest Service, 324 25th St., Ogden, UT 84401, 801–625– 5258 (phone), 801–625–5716 (fax), jvalle@fs.fed.us. Rocky Mountain Region Region 2, (CO, KS, NE, SD, WY) Claire Harper, U.S. Forest Service, 740 Simms Street, Golden, CO 80401, 303–275–5178 (phone), 303–275– 5754 (fax), claireharper@fs.fed.us. Southwestern Region Region 3, (AZ, NM) Margee Haines, U.S. Forest Service, 333 Broadway SE, Albuquerque, NM 87102, 505–842–3881 (phone), 505– 842–3165 (fax), mhaines@fs.fed.us. Pacific Southwest Region Region 5, (CA, HI, Guam, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia and other Pacific Islands,) Dan McKeague, U.S. Forest Service, 1323 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592, 707–562–8875 (phone), 707–562– 9054 (fax), dmckeague@fs.fed.us. E:\FR\FM\27AUN1.SGM 27AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52899-52900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20907]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Enhancing Retail 
Food Store Eligibility--Listening Sessions

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This Notice announces 5 listening sessions to support the 
Request for Information (RFI) published by FNS regarding Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) retailer eligibility requirements 
(78 FR 51136, August 20, 2013). As explained in the RFI, FNS is re-
examining SNAP retailer eligibility requirements in part because of 
concerns raised in a recent FNS report examining the trafficking rates 
at different types of retail food stores and a 2006 Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) report suggesting that the minimal stocking 
requirements in SNAP contribute to corrupt retailers entering the 
program. The FNS report is available at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/menu/Published/SNAP/FILES/ProgramIntegrity/Trafficking2009_Summary.pdf. The GAO report is available at: https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-07-53. Information on SNAP retailer eligibility 
requirements is available at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/retailers/store-eligibility.htm. The scheduled listening sessions provide an 
opportunity for FNS to seek public input on potential changes to 
retailer authorization requirements.

DATES: Listening sessions are scheduled in 5 cities: Wednesday, August 
28 in Ames, Iowa; Monday, September 9 in Baltimore, Maryland; Tuesday, 
September 10 in Greenville, Mississippi; Wednesday, September 11 in 
Chicago, Illinois; and Monday, September 16 in Los Angeles, California.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments electronically. Written comments 
can also be mailed or delivered to: Shanta Swezy, Chief, Retailer 
Management and Issuance Branch, Retailer Policy and Management 
Division, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
426, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact information is listed under 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Complete information for the five scheduled 
listening sessions is as follows:

1. City/State: Ames, Iowa; Date: Wednesday, August 28, 2013; Time: 4 
p.m.-7 p.m.; Location: Iowa State University, Scheman Building Room 
275; Address: 400 Beach Ave Iowa State Center, Ames, IA 50011; Contact: 
Bart Bushman (303) 844-0310.
2. City/State: Baltimore, MD; Date: Monday, September 9, 2013; Time: 4 
p.m.-7 p.m.; Location: Enoch Pratt Central Library; Address: 400 
Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201; Contact: Margarita Maisterrena 
(609) 259-5091.
3. City/State: Greenville, MS; Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2013. Time: 
5 p.m.-8 p.m. Location: Greenville Higher Education Center. Address: 
2900 A Highway 1 South, Greenville, MS; Contact: Debbie Smoot (404) 
562-1810.
4. City/State: Chicago, IL; Date: Wednesday, September 11, 2013; Time: 
4 p.m.-7 p.m.; Location: Walter Payton College Preparatory High School; 
Address: 1034 North Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60610; Contact: Alan 
Shannon (312) 353-1045.
5. City/State: Los Angeles, CA; Date: Monday, September 16, 2013; Time: 
4 p.m.-7 p.m.; Location: East Los Angeles Community Service Center; 
Address: 133 N. Sunol Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90063; Contact: Julie Yee 
(415) 705-1311.

    All sessions are open to the public and will be recorded. Each 
forum will begin with opening remarks from the USDA official charged 
with moderating the session. Both a sign language and a Spanish 
language interpreter will be available. Speakers' time will be limited 
to four minutes. Written comments will also be accepted at every 
session. Each session location is accessible to persons with 
disabilities.
    The Agency is seeking public input regarding the following 
questions, with particular attention to impacts of each on program 
integrity, healthy food choices, access to food, and retailer 
operations. Listening session attendees will be provided with a list of 
these questions at the forum site:
    1. Is ensuring that SNAP retailers provide SNAP clients access to 
healthy food choices a reasonable priority for establishing SNAP store 
eligibility criteria?
    2. Are there store types that clearly meet all of the Program goals 
and, consequently, should always be eligible for SNAP participation?
    3. Conversely, are there store types that do not effectively 
improve access to food choices (e.g., stores that sell low amounts of 
food when compared to the amounts of distilled liquor, tobacco and/or 
lottery tickets sold) and, therefore, should always be ineligible for 
SNAP participation?
    4. Would a different definition of the ``staple foods'' required in 
SNAP authorized stores help to ensure that these stores offer more 
healthy food choices? If so, what kinds of changes would be most 
effective? Specifically, almost all foods can be counted towards 
meeting staple food requirements,

[[Page 52900]]

including those high in added sugar, sodium or solid fats. Should foods 
high in these components be counted as staple foods when determining 
store authorization requirements?
    5. How should prepared foods with multiple ingredients, such as 
chicken pot pie or other frozen dinners, or single serving meat jerky 
packages, be treated with regards to ``staple foods'' categories?
    6. Do twelve items (the minimum amount necessary to meet SNAP 
authorization criterion A, by virtue of needing three varieties in the 
four different staple food categories) provide adequate variety for a 
retailer to further the Program's purpose? If not, what would be a more 
appropriate requirement?
    7. Currently, retailers who are authorized under criterion A are 
required to stock perishable items (e.g., fresh, frozen or refrigerated 
fruits and vegetables; dairy; meats, poultry and fish; bread or cereal) 
in two categories. Should perishable items be required in more than two 
categories?
    8. Are 50 percent of sales in staple foods, as currently required 
for criterion B, sufficient to ensure that a SNAP authorized store 
furthers the program's purpose, given the current definition of 
``staple foods?'' Would this percentage be sufficient if the definition 
of ``staple foods'' is changed to exclude items high in added sugar, 
sodium or solid fats?
    9. Should stores whose primary business (as evidenced by marketing, 
inventory or sales) is not the sale of food, be eligible to participate 
in SNAP?
    10. Restaurants are generally prohibited from being SNAP retailers, 
and hot foods cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits. However, there 
are authorized retailers who primarily sell food for immediate 
consumption, often on premises, but also sell their products cold and 
heat them for SNAP recipients immediately after purchase for a nominal 
fee. These stores qualify today based on the array of raw ingredients, 
such as unbaked pizza or raw fish. Should such stores be eligible for 
participation in SNAP?
    11. Should all retailers who meet SNAP eligibility criteria be 
authorized, even when sufficient store access for recipients is not a 
concern?
    12. If store access were a concern in an area where no store meets 
basic eligibility criteria for SNAP authorization, how should FNS 
select the stores to authorize that best serve the needs of the client 
population? Should FNS employ an evaluation and scoring system? If so, 
what criteria should make up such a system?
    13. How should integrity and management priorities be balanced 
against healthy food choice criteria in the SNAP authorization process? 
What elements could be used to assess integrity risks, and how should 
they be applied?
    14. Are there any other ways in which the criteria for retailer 
eligibility should be changed? If so, how?

    Dated: August 22, 2013.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-20907 Filed 8-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
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