[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 246 (Thursday, December 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79646-79648]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32798]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food And Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comments Request--Nutrition Assistance in Farmers' Markets: 
Understanding the Shopping Patterns of SNAP Participants

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the public and other public agencies to comment on this 
proposed information collection. This is a revision to a previous data 
collection regarding Farmers' Market Operations. The purpose of this 
collection is for the Food and Nutrition Service to examine the reasons 
behind the shopping decision at farmers' markets among recipients of 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before February 21, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: 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 shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden on the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions that were used; (c) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information 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: Steven Carlson, Office of Research and 
Analysis, Food and Nutrition Service/USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1014, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
the attention of Steven Carlson at (703) 305-2017 or via email to 
[email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow

[[Page 79647]]

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, 
Room 1014, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collected should be directed to Steven 
Carlson at (703) 305-2017.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Nutrition Assistance in Farmers' Markets: Understanding the 
Shopping Patterns of SNAP Participants.
    OMB Number: 0564-Revision.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 11/30/2014.
    Abstract: The USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), is pursuing 
initiatives to improve access to healthy foods among nutrition 
assistance program clients. Among these are steps to support access to 
fresh fruits and vegetables through farmers' markets. The overall 
objective of this collection is to promote opportunities for nutrition 
assistance program clients to take advantage of farmers' markets. In 
order to meet this objective, FNS needs to examine the reasons behind 
the shopping decision at farmers' markets among recipients of 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. To this end, 
FNS is conducting a survey with SNAP participants who purchase food in 
a catchment area around a nationally representative sample of farmers' 
markets that redeemed at least $1,000 in SNAP benefits from July 2010 
through June 2011. This survey will be implemented with a sample of 
SNAP participants from two groups that are of particular interest to 
FNS:
    1. SNAP participants who used their EBT card at a farmers' market 
in the past year; and
    2. SNAP participants who have not used their EBT card at a farmers' 
market in the past year.
    The data collection activities to be undertaken subject to this 
notice include:
     The questionnaire will be administered to SNAP 
participants represented in the two categories of participants above. 
First, a hard-copy survey will be mailed to SNAP participants, and they 
will be asked to return it in a postage-paid envelope. Those with bad 
addresses and those who do not respond to the mailing will be contacted 
by telephone and will be given an option to complete a telephone 
interview.
     To supplement the survey data, twelve focus groups will be 
conducted with SNAP participants. Three groups will be held with 
English-language users of EBT cards at farmers' markets, three groups 
will be held with Spanish-language users of EBT cards at farmers' 
markets, three groups will be held with English-language non-users of 
their EBT card at a farmers' market, and three groups will be held with 
Spanish-language non-users of their EBT card at a farmers' market.
    Affected Public: Respondent groups identified include: Individuals/
Households (SNAP clients).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total number of respondents is 
4,806. This includes 3,750 SNAP participants (80% who will complete 
interviews) and 1,056 SNAP participants (96 will participate in the 
focus group discussions).
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: SNAP participants 
will complete the survey one time. SNAP participants will attend the 
focus group once.
    Estimated time per Response: SNAP participants who have used their 
EBT card at a farmers' market in the past year will take approximately 
20 minutes (.3333 hours) to complete the survey. SNAP participants who 
have not used their EBT card at a farmers' market in the past year will 
take approximately 25 minutes (.4166 hours) to complete the survey. 
Each SNAP participant will participate in the focus group discussion 
for approximately 1.5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,374 hours. See the 
table below for estimated total annual burden for each type of 
respondent.

                                        Estimated annualized burden hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                     Number of       Number of       Estimated      burden per     Total burden
           Respondent               respondents    responses per   total annual    response (in     (in hours)
                                                    respondent       responses        hours)
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                                               SNAP Client Survey
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SNAP clients who used EBT card
 at farmers' market:
    Completed...................           1,000               1           1,000           .3333          333.30
    Attempted...................             250               1             250           .0333            8.33
SNAP clients who did not use EBT
 card at farmers' market:
    Completed...................           2,000               1           2,000           .4166          833.20
    Attempted...................             500               1             500           .0333           16.65
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        Survey Total............           3,750  ..............           3,750  ..............        1,191.48
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                                          Focus Group with SNAP Clients
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Recruitment Screener:
    Completed...................             120               1             120           .0835           10.02
    Attempted...................             840               1             840           .0334           28.06
Focus Group Discussion:
    Completed...................              96               1              96          1.50            144.00
    Attempted...................               0               1               0  ..............  ..............
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        Focus Group Total.......           1,056  ..............           1,056  ..............          182.08
                                  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............  ..............
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[[Page 79648]]

 
            Total...............           4,806  ..............           4,806  ..............        1,373.56
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    Dated: December 15, 2011.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-32798 Filed 12-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P