[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 27, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22758-22759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-9553]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 81 / Tuesday, April 27, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 22758]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Food Stamp Nutrition Education Systems Review

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) intent to 
request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for a 
new information collection from State officials, as well as from 
implementing agency, partnering agency, and local project staff 
administering Food Stamp Program nutrition education (FSNE) efforts. 
This information will be used to gain a comprehensive understanding of 
the administration and activities of the various nutrition education 
programs currently provided to the food stamp population. It will also 
help plan the direction of FSNE activities and practices in the future.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received on or before 
June 28, 2004 to be assured consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Kristen Dowling Hyatt, Project Officer, 
Office of Analysis, Nutrition, and Evaluation, Food and Nutrition 
Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Suite 1014, Alexandria, 
Virginia, 22302. Submit electronic comments to 
[email protected].
    Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507), 
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 the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate, automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    All comments will be summarized and included in the request for OMB 
approval of the information collection. All comments will become a 
matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Kristen Dowling Hyatt, (703) 305-2135.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Food Stamp Nutrition Education Systems Review.
    OMB Number: Not yet assigned.
    Expiration Date: To be determined.
    Type of Request: New collection of information.
    Abstract: As the cornerstone of the USDA nutrition assistance 
programs, the Food Stamp Program (FSP) plays a vital role in helping to 
protect the nutrition, health, and well being of over 23 million low-
income Americans. Under current FSP regulations (7 CFR 272.2), State 
food stamp agencies have the option to include nutrition education for 
program participants as part of their administrative operations. The 
goal of food stamp nutrition education (FSNE) is to increase the 
likelihood that food stamp recipients make healthy food choices and 
choose an active lifestyle consistent with the principles of the 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid.
    State food stamp agencies that choose to participate in FSNE submit 
an annual food stamp nutrition education plan to FNS outlining their 
intended activities and budget for the upcoming year. USDA reimburses 
States with approved plans for 50 percent of the allowable 
administrative costs actually expended on FSNE operations. While State 
food stamp agencies are responsible for submitting a single FSNE plan, 
services are generally provided through agreements with one or more 
``implementing agencies'' that develop and deliver the nutrition 
education. The State Cooperative Extension Service is the predominant 
implementing agency; however, public health departments, public 
assistance agencies, and university academic centers also sponsor FSNE. 
Implementing agencies usually deliver nutrition education to food stamp 
recipients through local organizations or projects. They may also 
develop collaborative relationships with community and private 
agencies, and other FNS-funded programs such as the Special 
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), 
generally referred to as ``program partners.''
    The scale of FSNE has grown considerably since the Food Stamp 
Nutrition Education Study, a descriptive study of FSNE operations in 
fiscal year (FY) 1997. The number of State food stamp agencies that 
applied and received approval for Federal reimbursement of nutrition 
education activities increased from 37 in FY 1997 to 50 in FY 2003. 
Federal funds approved for FSNE grew from $32 million in FY 1997 to 
over $192 million in FY 2003.
    In addition to the continued growth of FSNE, several other factors 
have converged making it necessary for FNS to update and develop a more 
in-depth understanding of FSNE operations. These include: The use of 
new approaches to nutrition education; interest in the effectiveness of 
FSNE and the quality of services delivered; limited information on the 
diversity of FSNE activities given the flexibility of States to design 
a variety of programs and operate them in a decentralized manner; the 
lack of detailed information on spending and progress in meeting FSNE 
goals and objectives; and the high level of agency and public interest 
in improving diets and reducing the prevalence of overweight and 
obesity.
    The purpose of this proposed information collection is two-fold: 
(1) To provide a comprehensive and systematic picture of nutrition 
education activities in the FSP in FY 2004; and (2) to identify 
patterns with relevance for future FSNE planning. The information 
collected is expected to be useful in increasing FNS' oversight 
capacity and improving accountability in the program, as well as 
identifying specific nutrition education issues or technical assistance 
needs that FNS can address in the future.

[[Page 22759]]

    The Food Stamp Nutrition Education Systems Review will collect data 
in the following FSNE domains: organization and administration; program 
planning and decision-making; program implementation, including 
nutrition education messages, delivery and target audiences; monitoring 
and evaluation; and funding issues. The study will draw on three main 
sources of data: (1) Existing State FSNE plan documents for FY 2004, 
(2) Internet-based surveys of key staff from State food stamp agencies 
and FSNE implementing agencies, and (3) on-site interviews with staff 
from State food stamp agencies, implementing agencies, local projects, 
and program partners.
    The sample frame for the study will include all State agencies 
expected to have approved FSNE Plans for FY 2004 (including the 
District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands). Contractor staff will 
abstract the necessary information from FY 2004 State FSNE plans and 
agency web sites to identify the universe of FSNE implementing agencies 
in these States. The Internet-based surveys will be a census of all 52 
State food stamp agencies and approximately 93 implementing agencies. A 
systematic representative sample of implementing agencies will be 
selected for on-site data collection, after stratifying by type of 
implementing agency and FNS region. Types of implementing agencies 
include the traditional Cooperative Extension Services, nutrition 
networks, and other organizational structures. This is expected to 
result in a sample of about 34 implementing agencies in approximately 
29 States. In consultation with each sampled implementing agency, 2 to 
4 local project sites will be selected for site visits. Selection 
criteria will focus on capturing diversity in a variety of areas, 
including the target audience, geographical location, size and tenure 
of the program, and approaches to nutrition education.
    The study and its data collection methodologies have been designed 
to minimize respondent burden wherever possible without compromising 
data quality. The use of a secure Internet site for survey 
administration will permit respondents to provide information at a time 
(or times) that is convenient to them. Respondents who do not have 
Internet access will be interviewed by telephone. In addition, all in-
person interviews will be scheduled in advance in an effort to 
accommodate respondents' schedules. All survey questions will be kept 
as simple and respondent-friendly as possible. Maximum use will also be 
made of existing data from public sources.
    Responses to all questions will be voluntary. The contractor will 
take the following steps to treat the data provided in a confidential 
manner: (1) Potentially sensitive survey data and all information 
collected in on-site interviews will be combined with other data and 
reported only in aggregate or statistical form, and (2) no data will be 
released in a form that identifies individual respondents by name. 
Respondents will be notified of these confidentiality measures by 
letter and in the Internet surveys.
    Affected Public: Staff from State food stamp agencies, and other 
State agencies, implementing agencies, and local projects collaborating 
with the FSP to provide FSNE.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Internet-based surveys: 52 State 
FSP administrators, 52 State FSP budget directors, 93 implementing 
agency directors, and 93 implementing agency budget officers.
    On-site interviews: 29 State FSP administrators; 29 State FSP 
budget directors; 34 implementing agency directors; 34 implementing 
agency budget officers; 11 implementing agency senior administrators; 
34 program partner directors (e.g., WIC directors); 112 local project 
directors; 112 local project budget officers; 336 local project 
instructors; and 112 local partner providers.
    Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Total Number of Annual Responses: 1,133.
    Estimated Time Per Response: All burden estimates include time to 
prepare for and complete the survey or interview. Internet-based 
survey: State FSP administrators, 1 hour; State FSP budget directors, 
0.5 hour; implementing agency directors, 2 hours; and implementing 
agency budget officers, 2 hours.
    On-site interviews: State FSP administrators, 2 hours; State FSP 
budget directors, 2 hours; implementing agency directors, 4 hours; 
implementing agency budget officers, 3 hours; implementing agency 
senior administrators, 1 hour; program partner directors, 1 hour; local 
project directors, 2 hours; local project budget officers, 1 hour; 
local project instructors, 1 hour; and local partner providers, 1 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: Total of 1,633 hours, including: 
State FSP administrators, 110 hours; State FSP budget directors, 84 
hours; implementing agency directors, 322 hours; implementing agency 
budget officers, 288 hours; implementing agency senior administrators, 
11 hours; program partner directors, 34 hours; local project directors, 
224 hours; local project budget officers, 112 hours; local project 
instructors, 336 hours; and local partner providers, 112 hours.

    Dated: April 21, 2004.
Roberto Salazar,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 04-9553 Filed 4-26-04; 8:45 am]
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