[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 59 (Thursday, March 27, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17127-17130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06746]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Evaluation of the Pilot Project for Canned, Frozen, or 
Dried Fruits and Vegetables in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program 
(FFVP)

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

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on the proposed information collection. This is a new information 
collection for the Evaluation of the Pilot Project for Canned, Frozen, 
or Dried Fruits and Vegetables in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program 
(FFVP).

DATES: Written comments on this notice must be received by May 27, 
2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of Agency 
functions, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimated burden of the 
proposed information collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions that were 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 information collection on 
respondents, including use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological methods of data collection.
    Written comments may be sent to: Richard Lucas, Acting Director, 
Office of Policy Support, 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 Richard Lucas at 703-305-2576 or 
via email to [email protected]. 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 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: To request more information on the

[[Page 17128]]

proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans, 
contact Allison Magness, Ph.D., R.D. Social Science Research Analyst, 
Special Nutrition Evaluation Branch, Office of Policy Support, 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 
Allison Magness at 703-305-2576 or via email to 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Evaluation of the Pilot Project for Canned, Frozen, or Dried 
Fruits and Vegetables in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP).
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: 0584[m,dash]NEW.
    Expiration Date: Not yet determined.
    Type of Request: New collection.
    Abstract: The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is intended 
to improve overall diet quality by teaching children more healthful 
eating habits. The FFVP began as a pilot project in four states 
pursuant to provisions of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
2002 (Pub. L. 107-171). Schools selected to participate in the FFVP are 
reimbursed for providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to students 
during the school day, outside of normal school breakfast and lunch 
meals. Under Section 4304 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (Pub. L. 110-246), the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch 
Act (NSLA) was amended to authorize the expansion of the FFVP to 
selected schools nationwide, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the 
Virgin Islands. This was accomplished by incorporating the FFVP into 
its own section in the NSLA, Section 19, 42 U.S.C. 1770. The 
Agricultural Act of 2014, Section 4214, instructed the Secretary of 
Agriculture to carry out a pilot project in schools participating in 
FFVP in a minimum of five States to evaluate the impact of allowing 
schools to offer canned, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables as part 
of FFVP for School Year 2014-2015. As part of the authorizing 
legislation, the Secretary was tasked in Section 4214(c) with 
conducting an evaluation of the pilot. The legislation states:

    ``1. The impacts on fruit and vegetable consumption at the 
schools participating in the pilot project;
    2. The impacts of the pilot project on school participation in 
the Program and operation of the Program;
    3. The implementation strategies used by the schools 
participating in the pilot project;
    4. The acceptance of the pilot project by key stakeholders; and
    5. Such other outcomes as are determined by the Secretary.''

    The evaluation of the pilot project has two main objectives: (1) To 
examine how the pilot project is implemented, and (2) to estimate 
program impacts on participating students. To address these objectives, 
FNS has specified the following research categories for the evaluation:
    1. Description of participating schools.
    2. Description of participating children.
    3. Description of the pilot project implementation.
    4. Examine impacts of the pilot project on school environment.
    5. Examine program impacts on children including consumption of 
different types of fruits and vegetables, consumption of other foods, 
nutritional status and attitudes towards fresh fruits and vegetables.
    To evaluate program impacts on participating students, data will be 
collected from approximately 6,144 students in grades 4-6 in 100 public 
elementary schools in 5 States as well as parents, teachers, school 
food service managers and principals.
    Affected Public: State, Local and Tribal Agency, individuals and 
households.
    Type of Respondents: State Child Nutrition (CN) Directors, 
Directors of School Food Authorities (SFAs), School Principals, School 
food service managers, Teachers, Students (grades 4, 5 and 6), and 
Parents of sampled students.
    Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 17,510.
    Frequency of Response: State CN Directors will be asked to 
participate in two web surveys. State CN Directors in the impact sample 
will be asked to pull administrative twice. SFA Directors and 
Principals will each participate in one web survey. School food service 
managers will be interviewed in person two times on sample days for 
information about foods served in the pilot project and school meals 
(School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program) on those 
days. Teachers and parents of sampled students will each complete one 
short questionnaire. Sampled students will all participate in an 
individual dietary recall which may be assisted by a one-day food 
diary. A subsample of the students will complete a second dietary 
recall on a nonconsecutive day, which may be assisted by a one-day food 
diary.
    Estimated Annual Responses: 17,754.
    Estimate of Time per Respondent and Annual Burden: About 30 minutes 
(0.48 hours). The estimated time of response varies from 3 to 65 
minutes depending on respondent group, as shown in table below. The 
total annual burden is 7,933.7 hours.

[[Page 17129]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                               Respondents                                                  Non-respondents
                                                                                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                                  Average   Sub-total                                       Average   Sub-total
             Affected public               Data collection  activity           Respondents                    Estimated    Frequency    Total      burden     annual    Estimated    Frequency    Total      burden     annual    Grand
                                                                                                     Sample   number of       of        annual     (hours     burden    number of       of        annual     (hours     burden    total
                                                                                                      size   respondents   response   responses     per      estimate      non-      response   responses     per      estimate
                                                                                                                                                 response)   (hours)   respondents                         response)   (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State, local or tribal agency...........  Self-Administered Web        State Agency Child                54          49            2         98     0.3333       32.7           5            2         10       0.05        0.5     33.2
                                           Survey.                      Nutrition Directors.
                                          Self-Administered Web        State Agency Child                 5           5            2         10         .5          5         0.0            2        0.0       0.05          0        5
                                           Survey (Admin Data).         Nutrition Directors.
                                          Self-Administered Web        School Food Authority (SFA)      185         100            1        100        0.5         50          85            1         85       0.05        4.3     54.3
                                           Survey.                      Directors.
                                          Self-Administered Web        School Principals..........      185         100            1        100     0.3333       33.3          85            1         85       0.05        4.3     37.6
                                           Survey.
                                          In-person Interviews.......  School Food Service              185         157            2        314     0.1667       52.3          28            2         56       0.05        2.8     55.1
                                                                        Managers.
                                          Self-Administered            Teachers...................      768         691            1        691     0.0833       57.6          77            1         77       0.05        3.9     61.5
                                           Questionnaire.
Individuals and households..............  Self-Administered Mailed     Parents....................     7680        6144            1       6144     0.0833      511.8        1536            1       1536       0.05       76.8    588.6
                                           Questionnaire.
                                          Record-assisted Dietary      Students...................     7680        6144            1       6144     1.0833     6655.8        1536            1       1536       0.05       76.8   6732.6
                                           Recalls.
                                          Record-assisted Second       Students...................      768         614            1        614     0.5833      358.1         154            1        154       0.05        7.7    365.8
                                           Dietary Recall.
                                                                                                   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Grand Total All Respondents.........  ...........................  ...........................    17510       14004       1.3333      14215       0.41     7756.6        3506       1.3333       3539       0.05      177.1   7933.7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 17130]]

    Dated: March 14, 2014.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-06746 Filed 3-26-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P