[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18711-18712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5343]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Economic Research Service


Notice of Intent of 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. 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 renewal of 
approval for an annual information collection on supplemental food 
security questions in the Current Population Survey, commencing with 
the December 2006 survey. These data will be used to monitor household 
level food security and food insecurity in the United States; to assess 
food security and changes in food security for population subgroups; to 
assess the need for, and performance of, domestic food assistance 
programs; to improve the measurement of food security; and to provide 
information to aid in public policy decision making.

[[Page 18712]]


DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by June 16, 2006 to be 
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments concerning this notice to Mark Nord, 
Food Assistance Branch, Food Economics Division, Economic Research 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1800 M Street, NW., Room N-
2180, Washington, DC 20036-5831. Tel. 202-694-5433. Submit electronic 
comments to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Application for an Annual Food Security Supplement to the 
Current Population Survey, Beginning in December 2006.
    Type of Request: Approval to collect information on household food 
insecurity.
    OMB Number: 0536-0043.
    Expiration data: N/A.
    Abstract: The U.S. Census Bureau will supplement the December 
Current Population Survey, beginning in 2006, with questions regarding 
household food shopping, food sufficiency, coping mechanisms and food 
scarcity, and concern about food sufficiency. A similar supplement has 
been appended to the CPS annually since 1995. The last collection was 
in December 2005. Copies of the information to be collected can be 
obtained from the address in the preamble.
    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 $46 billion each year to ensure access to 
nutritious, healthful diets for all Americans. The Food and Nutrition 
Service administers the 15 food assistance programs of the USDA 
including Food Stamps, Child Nutrition, and WIC programs. These 
programs, which serve 1 in 5 Americans, represent our Nation's 
commitment to the principle that no one in our country should lack the 
food needed for an active healthy life. 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 monitor the prevalence of food security 
and the prevalence and severity of food insecurity among the Nation's 
households. The prevalence of these conditions as well as year-to-year 
trends in their prevalence will be estimated at the national level and 
for population subgroups. The data will also be used to monitor the 
amounts that households spend for food and their use of community food 
pantries and emergency kitchens. These statistics along with research 
based on the data will be used to identify the causes and consequences 
of food insecurity, and to assess the need for, and performance of, 
domestic food assistance programs. The data will also be used to 
improve the measurement of food security and to develop measures of 
additional aspects and dimensions of food security. This consistent 
measurement of the extent and severity of food insecurity will aid in 
policy decision making. The supplemental survey instrument was 
developed in conjunction with food security experts nationwide as well 
as survey method experts within the Census Bureau and was recently 
reviewed by the Committee on National Statistics of the National 
Research Council. 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.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this data 
collection is estimated to average 7.6 minutes for each household that 
responds to the laborforce portion of the CPS.
    Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56,200.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,155 hours.

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 should be sent to the 
address in the preamble. 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: March 21, 2006.
Susan Offutt,
Administrator, Economic Research Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-5343 Filed 4-11-06; 8:45 am]
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