[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 196 (Tuesday, October 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62756-62757]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26145]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--People's Garden Initiative Evaluation of Healthy 
Gardens Healthy Youth Project

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on proposed information collections. This is a new information for the 
``Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth Study,'' part of the USDA's People's 
Garden program. This study will use the network of Cooperative 
Extension Educators to collect information from children in schools 
that have agreed to participate in the study in four states: Arkansas, 
Iowa, New York, and Washington. The information collected will build on 
existing knowledge by examining how school gardens affect children's 
fruit and vegetable consumption and other outcomes.

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received on or before 
December 12, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions that were used; (3) 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 use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to: Duke Storen, Director, Office of 
Strategic, Initiatives, Partnership and Outreach, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1441, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail 
to [email protected]. Be sure to include the title of the notice 
in the subject line of the message. Comments will also be accepted 
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments electronically.
    All written comments will be open for public inspection at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours 
(8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22302, Room 1441.
    All responses to this Notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval, and will become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection form and instructions should be 
directed to: Duke Storen, (703) 305-1431.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth.
    OMB Number: 0584-New.
    Form Number: Not Yet Assigned.
    Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: The People's Garden Initiative Evaluation of Healthy 
Gardens Healthy Youth Project is authorized under the Richard B. 
Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)(3)) and section 
14222(b) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. The Healthy 
Gardens, Healthy Youth project, part of the USDA's People's Garden 
program, was funded by FNS in April, 2011. Prior research has suggested 
that school gardens may contribute to increased fruit and vegetable 
consumption among youth. This study will evaluate the impact of those 
gardens and examine how school gardens along with garden curricula to 
link classrooms to gardens will affect diet outcomes among youth in 
under-resourced communities. At all participating schools, at least 50% 
of children qualify for Free or Reduced Price Meals (FRPM). Up to 
seventy schools in four states (AK, IA, NY, WA) will be partners in 
this study and will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) 
A treatment group of no more than 34 schools will receive the garden 
intervention and curricula in year 1; and (2) a waitlist control group 
of approximately 34 schools will receive gardens near the end of the 
project. In

[[Page 62757]]

each school, 2nd and 4th and/or 5th grade classes will participate.
    Affected Public: Individual/Household, State, Local and Tribal 
Government. The proposed data collection activities will require three 
types of respondent groups: individual students who participate in the 
study; parents or guardians who will be asked to complete some surveys; 
and school personnel including principals and teachers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
sample members is 25,259 (only a portion of these individual will be 
recruited). This total includes 469 staff (approximately 7 staff 
members at each of the 67 schools (i.e., principal, food service 
manager, physical education director, on average 268 teachers)); 5,360 
youth (80 at each of the 67 schools); and 5,360 parents (80 at each of 
the 67 schools). Of the 5,360 youth, 2,680 will be in the intervention 
group; 2,680 in the control group. The total estimated number of 
children respondents to the survey is 4,824 (90% of 5360). The total of 
the estimated parent/guardian respondents is 3,216 (60% of 5360).

State Agencies (SA)

    Number of Responses per Respondent: 469.
    Estimated Frequency of Responses per Respondent: 1.57.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses per Respondent: 737.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.82 minutes (approximately 50 
minutes).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours (SA): 603.

Individual/Household

    Number of Responses per Respondent: 10,720.
    Estimated Frequency of Responses per Respondent: 2 .
    Estimated Total Annual Responses per Respondent: 21,440.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.15 hour.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours for SA & I/H: 11,189.
    See Table 1 below for the estimated total burden for each type of 
respondent by instrument type.

                                                                         Table 1
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                                                                                          Avg. number of
         Affected public            Respondent type       Instrument         Number of     responses per   Total annual      Hours per     Total burden
                                                                            respondents     respondent       responses       response
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Schools.........................  School principals.  Interview.........              67            1.00           67.00             .50           33.50
                                  Food Service        Interview.........              67            1.00           67.00             .25           16.75
                                   Manager.
                                  Physical Education  Interview.........              67            1.00           67.00             .25           16.75
                                   Director.
                                  Teacher...........  Questionnaire.....             268            2.00          536.00            1.00          536.00
                                                                         -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total SA Reporting burden...                                                     469            1.57          737.00             .82          603.00
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Individual/Household............  Children..........  Questionnaire.....           4,824            3.00       14,472.00            1.20       17,366.40
                                                                                     536               0               0               0               0
                                  Nonrespondents \1\  Questionnaire.....            3216            1.00        3,216.00            1.00        3,216.00
                                  Parents/Guardians   ..................            2144            1.00        2,144.00             .05          107.20
                                   nonrespondents.
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    Total I/H Burden............                                                  10,720                       19,832.00                       20,689.60
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    Total Burden................                                                  11,189                       20,569.00                       21,292.60
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\1\ We anticipate that some students will be absent. For this reason we estimate 90% response rate among children.


    Dated: October 3, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-26145 Filed 10-7-11; 8:45 am]
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