[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6497-6498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02246]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 24 / Wednesday, February 5, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 6497]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, 
Infants and Children (WIC) WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), 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. This collection is a revision 
of a currently approved collection for awarding local agencies for 
excellence in WIC breastfeeding services and support. Section 231 of 
the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Public Law 111-296, requires 
that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) establish a program to 
recognize WIC local agencies and clinics that demonstrate exemplary 
breastfeeding promotion and support activities.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before April 6, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Sarah Widor, Director, Supplemental 
Food Programs Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Braddock Metro Center, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 
22314. 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. Please be advised 
that the substance of the comments and the identity of the individuals 
or entities submitting the comments will be subject to public 
disclosure. All comments will be made available publicly on the 
internet at http://www.regulations.gov. All responses to this notice 
will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management 
and Budget approval.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Anne 
Bartholomew, Chief, Nutrition Services Branch, Supplemental Food 
Programs Division, FNS, USDA, Braddock Metro Center, 1320 Braddock 
Place, Alexandria, VA 22314. Telephone: (703) 305-2746.

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: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants 
and Children (WIC) WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence (formerly the 
Loving Support Award of Excellence).
    Form Number: Not applicable.
    OMB Number: 0584-0591.
    Expiration Date: 09/30/2020.
    Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved Collection.
    Abstract: This information collection is mandated by section 231 of 
the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) (Pub. L. 111-296). 
Section 231 of the HHFKA, requires USDA to implement a program to 
recognize exemplary breastfeeding support practices at WIC local 
agencies and clinics. The WIC Program provides breastfeeding promotion 
and support for pregnant and postpartum mothers as a part of its 
mission to improve the health of the approximately 6 million Americans 
it serves each month. Breastfeeding is a priority in WIC and WIC 
mothers are strongly encouraged to breastfeed their infants unless 
medically contraindicated.
    In recognizing exemplary local agencies and clinics, the HHFKA 
requires that the Secretary consider the following criteria: (1) 
Performance measurements of breastfeeding; (2) the effectiveness of a 
peer counselor program; (3) the extent to which the agency or clinic 
has partnered with other entities to build a supportive breastfeeding 
environment for women participating in WIC; and (4) other criteria the 
Secretary considers appropriate after consultation with State and local 
program agencies. The information will be submitted voluntarily by WIC 
local agencies who will be applying for an award. FNS will use the 
information collected to evaluate the components of existing 
breastfeeding programs and support in WIC local agencies and make 
decisions about awards. This program is expected to provide models and 
motivate local agencies and clinics to strengthen their breastfeeding 
promotion and support activities. To streamline the submission of the 
application components, FNS plans to explore the possibility of 
conducting the application and submission process via an online 
platform. The total estimated time to complete the application is not 
expected to change.
    The award program for breastfeeding excellence was originally 
titled the Loving Support Award of Excellence, consistent with the 
former WIC breastfeeding campaign, Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding 
Work. In 2018, the WIC breastfeeding campaign was updated and rebranded 
as WIC Breastfeeding Support. Therefore, the name of the award program 
will be rebranded as the WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence.
    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Government. The 
respondents include WIC local and state agencies in the states and 
territories.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
participants is 269: 180 local WIC agencies and 89 State WIC agencies.
    WIC Peer Counseling is an FNS initiative that equips WIC programs 
with an implementation and management model--the '' WIC Breastfeeding 
Model for Peer Counseling''--that serves as a framework for designing, 
building, and

[[Page 6498]]

sustaining peer counseling programs; a requirement for award 
eligibility. According to program data, the number of local agencies 
operating a WIC program is 1,850. The number of local agencies 
submitting applications has increased annually; over 40% of eligible 
local agencies participated in the past five years. In Fiscal Year (FY) 
2015, 77 eligible local agencies applied for an award; in FY 2016, 117 
eligible local agencies applied for an award; in FY 2017, 123 eligible 
local agencies applied for an award; in FY 2018, 132 eligible local 
agencies applied for an award; and in FY 2019, 137 eligible local 
agencies applied for an award. Therefore, unlike the previous 
information collection request, the estimated number of respondents for 
local agency applications will not assume 30% of all eligible local WIC 
agencies will apply for an award annually. To better reflect the number 
of respondents for subsequent years, FNS estimates the annual submitted 
applications will continue to slowly increase, ranging from 140-180 
applications submitted annually. The estimated number of respondents 
for the State agency application verification is derived from the total 
number of State WIC agencies.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: The estimated number 
of responses per respondent for the WIC local agency is one, as each 
eligible WIC local agency will submit one application. The estimated 
number of responses per respondent for the WIC State agency is 2.0, as 
each WIC State agency will evaluate approximately 2.0 applications 
annually. These estimates were derived by dividing the total number of 
responses for the WIC Local Agency Application or the State Agency 
Evaluation by the respective number of respondents. Overall, the 
estimated number of responses per respondent across the entire 
collection is 1.3, which is derived by dividing the total number of 
responses (358) by the total estimated number of respondents (269).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 358.
    Estimated Time per Response: FNS estimates the WIC local agency 
application response is 2.5 hours, and the WIC State agency response is 
1.5 hours. Overall, the average estimated time for all of the 
participants is 2 hours. The estimated average number of hours per 
response was derived by dividing the number of estimated total hours 
(717), by the number of total annual responses by all respondents 
(358). The time for the WIC local agency is an estimated time for the 
agency to voluntarily review the instructions, fill out the ``WIC 
Breastfeeding Award of Excellence'' application, and attach supportive 
documentation. The time for the State WIC agency is an estimated time 
for the agency to review the instructions, evaluate the components of 
the local WIC agencies applications, and make a recommendation for an 
award.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 717.0 hours.
    See the table below for estimated total annual burden for each type 
of respondent.

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                                                                                     Estimated
                                     Estimated       Responses     Total annual   average number     Estimated
           Respondent                 number       annually per      responses     of hours per     total hours
                                    respondent      respondent                      response *
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Reporting Burden:
    WIC Local Agency Application           180.0             1.0           180.0             2.5           450.0
    WIC State Agency Evaluation.            89.0             2.0           178.0             1.5           267.0
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total Reporting Burden....           269.0             1.3           358.0             2.0           717.0
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* Estimated average # of hours per response includes .5 hours for reviewing instructions


    Dated: January 29, 2020.
Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-02246 Filed 2-4-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P