[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 113 (Monday, June 15, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28213-28214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-13936]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 113 / Monday, June 15, 2009 / 
Notices  

[[Page 28213]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2009-0013]


Notice of Request for a New Information Collection (Be Food Safe 
Campaign Pilot Surveys)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request a new 
information collection concerning surveys of consumers to assess the 
effectiveness of the Be Food Safe campaign mass media advertising 
pilot.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before August 14, 
2009.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
notice. Comments may be submitted by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the 
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this 
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
     Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or 
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Room 2534, South Agriculture Building, Washington, DC 
20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2009-0013. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to comments received, go to the FSIS Docket Room 
at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday.
    For Additional Information: Contact John O'Connell, Paperwork 
Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 3532 South Building, Washington, DC 
20250, (202) 720-0345.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Be Food Safe Campaign Pilot Surveys.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary as specified in the Federal Meat Inspection 
Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the Poultry Products Inspection 
Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.), and the Egg Products Inspection 
Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). FSIS protects the public by 
verifying that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, 
unadulterated, and correctly labeled and packaged.
    FSIS is requesting a new information collection addressing the 
paperwork burden related to the collection of information for the Be 
Food Safe campaign pilot surveys.
    FSIS has initiated the Be Food Safe campaign to educate consumers 
about the importance of safe food handling and how to reduce the risks 
associated with foodborne illness. As a part of the Be Food Safe 
campaign, the Agency plans to purchase advertising through Oklahoma 
City, Oklahoma, mass media outlets to promote safe food handling 
messages to consumers. The pilot surveys will measure consumer 
awareness and response. The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, pilot surveys will 
test the effectiveness of the use of mass media advertising to promote 
the four Be Food Safe campaign safe food handling messages: clean, 
separate, cook, and chill. The pilot advertising and surveys will be 
targeted at women, aged 25 to 49, who are caregivers for children under 
the age of 10 or for older adults. FSIS identified these women as the 
target audience because they are the individuals who are most likely to 
be preparing food for themselves and others, and who have an incentive 
to listen to food safety messages and adapt or change their behaviors 
in response to these messages.
    Before launching the mass media advertising pilot, 400 randomly 
selected women in the target audience will complete a 10 minute pre-
test telephone survey. The pre-test survey will assess attitudes, 
beliefs, and behavior pertaining to food handling and food safety, 
media habits, and demographic and personal information (annual 
household income, education level, and ethnic origin). Approximately 
three to four weeks after the pre-test survey and immediately following 
the airing of the food safety messages, the post-test survey will be 
conducted with a second unique sample of 400 women. The post-test 
survey will assess awareness of and reactions to the advertising and 
its food safety messages, as well as gauge respondents' association of 
the advertising with USDA. The post-test survey will also inventory 
respondents' attitudes, intentions, and behaviors related to food 
safety (i.e., clean, separate, cook, and chill).
    The data collected in these surveys will allow FSIS to determine 
what knowledge members of the target audience had about food safety 
before the advertising, whether they were aware of the campaign, and, 
if they were, whether they changed any food preparation behaviors as a 
result of the advertising. The information collected will be used to 
refine the campaign's messages, materials, and approaches in order to 
improve its overall effectiveness. Addressing any issues identified 
during the evaluation of the advertising in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 
will help ensure that the use of mass media advertising nation-wide for 
the Be Food Safe campaign is successful in promoting proper food safety 
behavior among the general population.
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take participants 
an average of 10 minutes per response and non-participants 2 minutes 
per response.
    Respondents: Consumers.
    Estimated Total No. of Respondents: 800 participants and 434 non-
participants. (The Agency estimates that

[[Page 28214]]

approximately 434 consumers contacted by telephone will decline to 
participate in the surveys).
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 144.8 hours.
    Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained 
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence, SW., Room 3532, South 
Bldg., Washington, DC 20250, (202)720-0345.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS'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, 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 both FSIS, at the 
addresses provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Washington, DC 20253.
    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.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the 
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with 
disabilities are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line 
through the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2009_Notices_Index/index.asp.
    FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide 
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal 
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information 
that could affect or would be of interest to our constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free e-mail 
subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and farm groups, 
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific 
professionals, and other individuals who have requested to be included. 
The Update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through Listserv and 
the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, 
more diverse audience.
    In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail subscription service which 
provides automatic and customized access to selected food safety news 
and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news_and_events/email_subscription/.
    Options range from recalls to export information to regulations, 
directives and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions 
themselves, and have the option to password protect their accounts.

    Done at Washington, DC, on June 9, 2009.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-13936 Filed 6-12-09; 8:45 am]
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