[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10587-10588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5495]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Economic Research Service


Notice of Intent to Seek Approval to Collect Information

AGENCY: Economic Research Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 
L. No. 104-13) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 
5 CFR Part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 1995), this notice announces 
the Economic Research Service's (ERS) intention to request approval for 
a new information collection on supplemental food security questions 
for the August 1998 Current Population Survey. These data will be used 
to develop a scale of household level food security in the United 
States, to assess changes in food security for population subgroups, to 
assess performance of domestic food assistance programs, and to provide 
information to aid in public policy decision making.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by May 8, 1998 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact David M. Smallwood, Deputy 
Director for Food Assistance Research, Food and Rural Economics 
Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
1800 M Street NW Room 2145, Washington, D.C. 20036-5831, 202-694-5466.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Application for August Food Security Supplement to the 
Current Population Survey, 1998.
    Type of Request: Approval to collect information on household food 
insecurity.
    Abstract: The U.S. Bureau of the Census will supplement the August 
1998 Current Population Survey (CPS) with questions regarding household 
food shopping, food sufficiency, coping mechanisms and food scarcity, 
and concern about food sufficiency. A similar supplement was also 
appended to the CPS in April 1995, September 1996, and April 1997.
    ERS is responsible for conducting studies and evaluations of the 
Nation's food assistance programs that are administered by the Food and 
Nutrition Service (FNS), U. S. Department of Agriculture. The 
Department spends about $37 billion each year to ensure access to more 
nutritious, healthful diets for all Americans. The Food and Nutrition 
Service administers the 15 food assistance programs of the USDA 
including the Food Stamp and Child Nutrition Programs, and the Special 
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). 
These programs, which serve 1 in 6 Americans, represent our nation's 
commitment to the principle that no one in our country should fear 
hunger or experience want. They provide a safety net to people in need. 
The programs' goals are to provide needy persons with access to a more 
nutritious diet, to improve the eating habits of the nation's children, 
and to help America's farmers by providing an outlet for the 
distribution of food purchased under farmer assistance authorities.
    These data will be used to develop a scale of food security 
reflecting a range from food secure households through households 
experiencing severe food insecurity. Ultimately, this scale will be 
used to identify the prevalence of poverty-linked food insecurity and 
hunger experienced in the United States. The purpose of this project is 
to provide a consistent measure of the extent and severity of food 
insecurity that will aid in policy decision making. The supplemental 
survey instrument has been used in the prior collections. This 
supplemental information will be collected by both personal visit and 
telephone interviews in conjunction with the regular monthly CPS 
interviewing. All interviews, whether by personal visit or by 
telephone, are conducted using computers.
    Estimates of Burden: Public reporting burden for this data 
collection is estimated to average 8 minutes.
    Respondents: Individuals or households.

[[Page 10588]]

    Estimated number of Respondents: 50,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on respondents: 6,667 hours.
    Copies of the information to be collected can be obtained from 
David M. Smallwood, Deputy Director for Food Assistance Research, Food 
and Rural Economics Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1800 M Street NW Room 2145, Washington, D.C. 
20036-5831, 202-694-5466.
    Comments: 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 will 
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 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. Comments may be 
sent to David M. Smallwood, Deputy Director for Food Assistance 
Research, Food and Rural Economics Division, Economic Research Service, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1800 M Street NW Room 2145, Washington, 
D.C. 20036-5831, 202-694-5466. All responses to this notice will be 
summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments 
will also become a matter of public record.

    Dated: February 20, 1998.
Betsey Kuhn,
Director, Food and Rural Economy Division.
[FR Doc. 98-5495 Filed 3-3-98; 8:45 am]
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