[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 88 (Friday, May 5, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26177-26178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11203]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 88 / Friday, May 5, 2000 / Notices  

[[Page 26177]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Economic Research Service


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 and 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) implementing regulations, this 
notice announces the Economic Research Service's (ERS) intention to 
request approval for a new information collection on the declining 
participation in the Food Stamp Program (FSP) and the role of policies 
and local administrative practices in the FSP or in related programs, 
such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), in affecting 
participation. This information will contribute to a better 
understanding of the reasons behind the large declines in food stamp 
participation since passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work 
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 10, 2000 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Peggy J. 
Cook, Food Assistance and Rural Economy Branch, Food and Rural 
Economics Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1800 M. Street, NW, Room S-2078, Washington, DC 20036-
5831. For further information contact: Peggy J. Cook, 202-694-5419.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Paperwork Reduction Act Submission (OMB-83-I).
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: N/A.
    Type of Request: New collection of information.
    Abstract: ERS has the responsibility to provide social and economic 
intelligence on consumer, food marketing, and rural issues, including: 
domestic food assistance programs; low-income assistance programs; food 
security status of the poor; food consumption determinants and trends; 
consumer demand for food quality, safety, and nutrition; food market 
competition and coordination; and food safety regulations.
    The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the nutrition 
assistance programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The 
Food Stamp Program (FSP) is the cornerstone of the Nation's nutrition 
safety net for low-income Americans. The program's intent is to 
eliminate hunger and enable eligible low-income persons to obtain a 
more nutritionally adequate diet by providing food stamp coupons (or 
other forms of payment) redeemable at many retail food stores. Benefits 
provided under the FSP come solely from Federal dollars, but the 
program is administered jointly by Federal, State, and local 
governments who also share the costs of program administration. The 
program is in operation in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, 
Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 1998, the program distributed more 
than $16.6 billion to 19.8 million people living in 7.8 million 
households.
    USDA is concerned about the declines in FSP participation that have 
occurred since 1994 and whether or not the FSP is reaching all those in 
need. National food stamp rolls declined by one-third between 1994, 
when 28.8 million persons received food stamps in an average month, and 
1999, when an average of 18.8 persons received benefits each month. 
According to some analysts, factors like the strong economy, changes in 
the size and composition of the potential eligibility pool, and Federal 
changes in the food stamp eligibility rules legislated under the 
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 
(PRWORA) do not fully explain the decline. Little is known about the 
possible influences of other program factors on FSP participation, in 
particular, the effects of post-PRWORA changes on how States and local 
offices administer and operate the FSP in respect to other programs, 
especially the TANF program. Information also is lacking about the 
extent to which the levels of awareness and motivations of potentially 
eligible households affect their decisions to seek and to continue food 
stamp participation. The data collected in this study are designed to 
provide information about the role of policies and local administrative 
practices in the FSP and in related programs in affecting 
participation.
    A sample of FSP caseworker supervisors and caseworkers will be 
asked questions to identify specific policies and practices in local 
FSP administration that may affect eligible households' access to and 
participation in the FSP. Questions will concern policies and practices 
affecting: contacting the FSP office; filing the FSP application and 
completing the process; ongoing requirements for FSP recipients; and 
FSP/TANF benefit reductions or TANF termination. Respondents also will 
be asked questions concerning their perspectives on post-PRWORA changes 
in policies and practices. A sample of FSP applicants will be asked 
questions concerning: trigger events that led to their food stamp 
application; their understanding of the application process and 
requirements; expected benefits and costs; and household 
characteristics and circumstances. A sample of presumptively FSP-
eligible households who are not participating in the Program will be 
asked questions concerning: reasons for not applying to the FSP, 
perceived eligibility; previous experience with FSP, TANF, and Medicaid 
programs; perceived costs of participation; and household 
characteristics and circumstances.
    The sampling design for the study is a two-stage national 
probability sample of new and recertifying food stamps applicants. The 
first stage of the sampling is the selection of local sites. The study 
will be conducted in a nationally representative sample of 120 local 
food stamp offices. The sample will include at least one office in 
nearly all of the forty-eight contiguous states and the District of 
Columbia, yet still use a probabilistic sampling approach that yields 
good statistical precision in overall estimates. The second stage of 
the sampling involves selecting, within each of the 120 sampled local 
offices, a representative sample of new and recertifying food stamp 
applicants. Within each of the sampled local

[[Page 26178]]

offices, food stamp caseworker supervisors and food stamp caseworkers 
will be sampled. In addition, a random-digit-dial telephone survey also 
will be conducted with a sample of presumptively FSP-eligible 
households, living in the areas served by the 120 sampled local food 
stamp offices, who are not participating in the FSP.
    ERS, working with Abt Associates and Health Systems Research, will 
conduct the telephone surveys of FSP supervisors and caseworkers, FSP 
applicant households, and FSP-eligible nonparticipating households. FSP 
applicant households without telephones will be interviewed in-person. 
The household telephone interviews will be conducted using Computer-
Assisted-Telephone Interviewing (CATI). Responses are voluntary and 
confidential. To minimize the burden on applicant households, a 
substantial portion of needed data will be collected by abstraction 
from local offices' case file records. Survey data will be used with 
other data for statistical purposes and reported only in aggregate or 
statistical form.
    No existing data sources, including FNS administrative data, can 
provide all the information needed to complete the Study of Program 
Access and Declining Food Stamp Participation. These data and the 
research they will support are vital to the USDA's ability to 
understand reasons for recent declines in FSP participation.
    Estimate of Burden: Public burden for this data collection is 
estimated, on average, as 60 minutes for caseworker supervisors and 
caseworkers; 30 minutes for food stamp applicants; 5 minutes for 
screening households to determine presumptive FSP eligibility; and 30 
minutes for FSP-eligible nonparticipants. The estimates include time 
for listening to instructions, gathering data needed, and responding to 
questionnaire items.
    Respondents: FSP caseworker supervisors, FSP caseworkers, FSP 
applicants, households with residential telephone numbers, and 
presumptively FSP-eligible households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 240 FSP caseworker supervisors, 
480 FSP caseworkers, 1,425 FSP applicants, 33,333 households with 
residential telephone numbers, and 1800 presumptively FSP-eligible 
households.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 5111 hours.
    Copies of the information to be collected can be obtained from 
Peggy J. Cook, Food Assistance and Rural Economy Branch, Food and Rural 
Economics Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1800 M. Street, NW, Room S-2078, Washington, DC 20036-
5831, 202-694-5419.

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; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of collection of information on those who are to 
respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques. 
Comments should be sent to the address stated in the preamble. All 
responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request 
for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., this 28th day of April, 2000.
James Blaylock,
Associate Director, Food and Rural Economics Division.
[FR Doc. 00-11203 Filed 5-4-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-18-M