[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28727-28729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-12304]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2011-0011]


Notice of Request for a New Information Collection (Food Safety 
Education Campaign--Tracking Survey)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 for a tracking survey associated with the 
upcoming Food Safety Education Campaign.
    FSIS is giving the public 30 days to respond instead of the normal 
60 days because of the need to expeditiously conduct the tracking 
survey so that the Food Safety Education Campaign will be able to begin 
in July as planned.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before June 17, 
2011.

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 on-line 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, Room 2-2175, George 
Washington Carver Center, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Mailstop 5272, 
Beltsville, MD 20705-5272.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the

[[Page 28728]]

Agency name and docket number FSIS-2011-0011. 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 background documents or 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 FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction 
Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6065, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250, (202) 720-0345.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Food Safety Education Campaign--
Tracking Survey.
    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., et seq.). FSIS protects the public by verifying 
that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, not 
adulterated, and correctly labeled and packaged. FSIS, in partnership 
with the Ad Council, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, has developed a new national public 
service advertising campaign to educate the public about the importance 
of safe food handling and how to reduce the risks associated with 
foodborne illness. FSIS is seeking approval of an information 
collection to help evaluate the impact of the campaign. The collection 
will take the form of a survey of members of the target audience, and 
will help gauge awareness of the advertising, attitudes regarding safe 
food preparation, and self-reported prevention behaviors. The survey 
will be fielded once prior to launch of materials, and then again 9-12 
months following launch to monitor any shifts over time.
    After receiving a briefing on foodborne illness and USDA priorities 
for the public education campaign, the Ad Council and JWT conducted an 
audit of existing research and statistics surrounding the issue and 
prevention behaviors. Following this review, the Ad Council and JWT 
conducted consumer research to better understand perceptions of 
foodborne illness and safe food handling behaviors held by the target 
audience. These research sessions were conducted with OMB approval in 
November 2010. Next, the Ad Council and JWT developed a communications 
strategy based on research findings that clearly articulates the 
proposed approach to communications.
    JWT then developed creative concepts--scripts, graphical 
treatments, etc.--that stem directly from the communications strategy. 
These concepts were qualitatively tested with members of the target 
audience in March. Finally, before the release of the advertising 
campaign in July, the Ad Council, on behalf of FSIS, will conduct a 
tracking study to monitor awareness of the campaign as well as any 
changes in perceptions of foodborne illness and reported safe food 
handling behaviors.
    The campaign targets parents, ages 20 to 40, who are caregivers for 
children between the ages of 4 and 12. Parents have been identified as 
the target audience because they are most likely to be preparing food 
for themselves and others, and they have an incentive to listen to food 
safety messages and adopt or change their behaviors as a result.
    The survey will be administered using a national random digit dial 
phone methodology in both English and Spanish. Each respondent will 
answer questions about their attitudes about food safety, their 
awareness of the risks of foodborne illness, their own efficacy with 
regard to preventing foodborne illness, and their own use of safe food-
handling practices. The public service announcements (PSAs) will also 
be described to respondents in order to gauge recognition of the ads in 
market.
    Once the post-wave survey is fielded 9-12 months after the 
benchmark survey, the Ad Council will compare results to identify any 
shifts in attitudes, awareness, or behaviors that occurred while the 
PSAs were in market.
    FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information 
collection assessment:
    Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take respondents an 
average of 15 minutes per year and non-respondents an average of 2 
minutes per year to respond.
    Respondents: Consumers.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 7,200.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 500 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 6065, South 
Building, 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.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

    The United States. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, 
color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political 
beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all 
prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who 
require alternative means for communication of program information 
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's Target 
Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY).
    To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TTY). 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices_Index/index.asp.
    FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication 
available through the FSIS Constituent Update,

[[Page 28729]]

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_&_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: May 16, 2011.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-12304 Filed 5-16-11; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P