[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 66 (Friday, April 5, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13625-13626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06698]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 66 / Friday, April 5, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 13625]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Generic Clearance for the Development of Nutrition 
Education Messages and Products for the General Public

AGENCY: Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services (FNCS), U.S. Department 
of Agriculture (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 this proposed information collection over a three year period. This 
collection is a revision of a currently approved three year collection. 
This notice announces the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion's 
(CNPP) intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's 
approval of the information collection processes and instruments to be 
used during consumer research while testing nutrition education 
messages and products developed for the general public. The purpose of 
performing consumer research is to identify consumers' understanding of 
potential nutrition education messages and obtain their reaction to 
prototypes of nutrition education products, including internet based 
tools. The information collected will be used to refine messages and 
improve the usefulness of products as well as aid consumer 
understanding of Dietary Guidelines-grounded messages and related 
materials.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before June 4, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Melissa Ciampo, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
1034, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to 
the attention of Melissa Ciampo at 703-305-3300 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: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Melissa 
Ciampo at 703-305-7600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 of 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 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.
    Title: Generic Clearance for the Development of Nutrition Education 
Messages and Products for the General Public.
    Form Number: Not Applicable.
    OMB Number: 0584-0523.
    Expiration Date: September 30, 2019.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts consumer research to 
identify key issues of concern related to the public understanding the 
consumer translation of key guidance from the Dietary Guidelines for 
Americans (Dietary Guidelines or Guidelines) into consumer messages, 
tools and resources.
    As background, the Dietary Guidelines is a primary source of 
dietary health information in the form of technical publication written 
for use by professional audiences, not consumers. Users include Federal 
agencies, health professionals, policy makers, and nutrition educators. 
Issued jointly by the USDA and Health and Human Services (HHS) every 
five years, the Guidelines serve as the cornerstone of Federal 
nutrition policy and form the basis for these agencies' development of 
consumer nutrition education efforts (nutrition messaging and 
development of consumer materials).
    Translation of key guidance from the technically written Dietary 
Guidelines into consumer messages and resources is essential so that 
the public has resources to help them make healthier eating choices. 
After the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for use by 
professional audiences, a consumer communication initiative built 
around USDA's new MyPlate icon, including the resources at 
www.MyPlate.gov, was launched. MyPlate is a visual cue supported by 
messages and resources to help consumers make better food choices; 
these consumer materials are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines. It 
illustrates the five food groups and uses a familiar mealtime visual, a 
place setting, to prompt Americans to eat more healthfully. Information 
collected from consumer research will be used in further development of 
consumer nutrition messages and related resources to be communicated 
through MyPlate.
    These may include:
    1. Messages and resources that help consumers make healthier food 
choices, grounded in the latest Dietary Guidelines;
    2. Additions and enhancements to the www.MyPlate.gov website;
    3. Materials relaying consumer messages supporting MyPlate, 
grounded in the latest Dietary Guidelines, for special population 
groups; and
    4. New policy, messages, resources, and tools that might be 
developed as a result of the most current Dietary Guidelines, as well 
as the most currently available technologies.
    CNPP works to improve the health and well-being of Americans by 
developing and promoting dietary guidance that links scientific 
research to the nutrition needs of consumers across the lifespan.
    CNPP has among its major functions the development and coordination 
of nutrition guidance within USDA and is involved in the investigation 
of

[[Page 13626]]

techniques for effective nutrition communication. Under Subtitle D of 
the National Agriculture Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act 
of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3171-3175), the Secretary of Agriculture is required 
to develop and implement a national food and human nutrition research 
and extension program, including the development of techniques to 
assist consumers in selecting food that supplies a nutritionally 
adequate diet. Pursuant to 7 CFR 2.19(a)(3), the Secretary of 
Agriculture has delegated authority to CNPP for, among other things, 
developing materials to aid the public in selecting food for good 
nutrition; coordinating nutrition education promotion and professional 
education projects within the Department; and consulting with the 
Federal and State agencies, the Congress, universities, and other 
public and private organizations and the general public regarding food 
consumption and dietary adequacy.
    Under Section 301 of Public Law 101-445 (7 U.S.C. 5341, the 
National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990, Title 
III) the Secretaries of USDA and HHS are directed to publish the 
Dietary Guidelines for Americans jointly at least every five years. The 
law instructs that this publication shall contain nutritional and 
dietary information and guidelines for the general public, shall be 
based on the preponderance of scientific and medical knowledge current 
at the time of publication, and shall be promoted by each Federal 
agency in carrying out any Federal food, nutrition, or health program. 
Recent editions of the Dietary Guidelines provide dietary advice for 
Americans ages 2 years and older. The Agricultural Act of 2014 mandates 
the addition of dietary guidance for women who are pregnant and infants 
and toddlers from birth to 24 months of age beginning with the 2020 
edition. By translating the Dietary Guidelines into consumer-friendly 
nutrition education communication materials, CNPP and partnering 
agencies are able to help Americans make better or healthier food and 
beverage choices that can help improve health. One of the primary ways 
CNPP helps Americans apply the nutrition guidance in their daily lives 
is by developing and maintaining interactive, digital tools. CNPP's 
digital resources and tools provide hands-on learning opportunities 
that empower Americans to think critically about their food and health 
choices. Maintaining and enhancing CNPP's digital resources and tools 
are key in reversing the trend of childhood obesity and building a 
healthier next generation.
    USDA's MyPlate icon is supported by a robust consumer nutrition 
education program to assist Americans in selecting foods for a dietary 
pattern that is consistent with the Dietary Guidelines. Ensuring that 
MyPlate resources and related tools are useful to intended audiences is 
critical to CNPP's work and is a major activity included in its 5-year 
strategic plan in fulfillment of the Government Performance and Results 
Act of 1993 (31 U.S.C. 9701).
    Affected Public: Individuals/households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 57,700.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.006932 (One for 
focus group screeners, interview screeners, focus groups, journaling, 
interviews, web-based collections and consent forms. Three for consumer 
panels.).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 58,100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 12.759 minutes (0.21265 hours).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 12,354.96 rounded up 
to 12,355 hours.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Estimated                       Estimated                       Estimated
                                     number of       Number of     total annual   Estimated time   total annual
       Testing instrument           individual     responses per   responses per   per response      burden in
                                    respondents     respondent      respondent       in hours          hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Focus Group Screeners...........           7,500               1           7,500             .25           1,875
Interview Screeners.............           7,500               1           7,500             .25           1,875
Focus Groups....................             500               1             500               2           1,000
Journaling......................             500               1             500             .25             125
Interviews......................             500               1             500               1             500
Consumer Panels.................             200               3             600             .50             300
Web-based Collections...........          20,000               1          20,000             .25           5,000
Consent Form....................          21,000               1          21,000             .08           1,680
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.......................          57,700  ..............          58,100         0.21265          12,355
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The total estimated annual burden is 12,355 hours and 58,100 
responses. Thus, we are requesting 37,065 three year burden estimates 
and 174,300 total responses for three year approval period. Current 
estimates are based on both historical numbers of respondents from past 
projects as well as estimates for projects to be conducted in the next 
three years.

    Dated: March 28, 2019.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-06698 Filed 4-4-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P