[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 102 (Wednesday, May 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31737-31739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11269]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2020-0018]


Notice of Request for Renewal of an Approved Information 
Collection (In-Home Food Safety Behaviors and Consumer Education: Web-
Based Survey)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 
Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing its intention to request 
renewal of the approved information for an exploratory Web-based survey 
of consumers to evaluate food safety education and communication 
activities and to inform the development of food safety communication 
products. There are no changes to the existing information collection. 
The approval for this information collection will expire on October 31, 
2020.

DATES: Submit comments on or before July 27, 2020.

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this 
Federal Register notice. Comments may be submitted by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides 
commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment 
field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that 
site for submitting comments.
     Mail, including CD-ROMs, etc.: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-
3700.
     Hand- or courier-delivered submittals: Deliver to 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
    Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must 
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2020-0018. Comments 
received in response to this docket will be made available for public 
inspection and posted without change, including any personal 
information, to http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, 
call (202) 720-5627 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, Washington, DC 20250-3700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gina Kouba, Office of Policy and 
Program Development, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: In-Home Food Safety Behaviors and Consumer Education: Web-
Based Survey.
    OMB Number: 0583-0178.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 10/31/2020.
    Type of Request: Renewal of an approved information collection.
    Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the 
functions of the Secretary (7 CFR 2.18, 2.53) as specified in the 
Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA) (21 U.S.C. 601, et seq.), the 
Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) (21 U.S.C. 451, et seq.) and the 
Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) (21 U.S.C. 1031, et seq.). These 
statutes mandate that FSIS protect the public by verifying that meat, 
poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, unadulterated, and 
properly labeled and packaged.
    FSIS's Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Education (OPACE) 
develops consumer education programs concerning the safe handling, 
preparation, and storage of meat, poultry, and processed egg products, 
so as to improve consumer food handling behaviors and minimize the 
incidence of foodborne illness. OPACE shares its food safety messages 
through various outlets: The Food Safe Families campaign, a cooperative 
effort of USDA, Food and Drug Administration, and Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention; Ask USDA; the Meat and Poultry Hotline, an 
interactive knowledge management system consumers can use to get 
answers from USDA employees via phone, chat, email and a frequently 
asked question database; the FSIS website; social media; and public 
events. These messages are focused on the four core food safety 
behaviors: Clean, separate, cook, and chill.
    By testing planned and tailoring existing communication programs 
and materials, FSIS can help to ensure that it is effectively 
communicating with the public to improve consumer food safety 
practices. As part of ongoing activities by OPACE to develop and 
evaluate its public health education and communication activities, FSIS 
is

[[Page 31738]]

requesting renewal of the approved information collection to conduct 
exploratory Web-based surveys of consumers. Findings from these surveys 
will provide information about how FSIS communication programs and 
materials affect consumer understanding of recommended safe food 
handling practices, as well as insight into how to effectively inform 
consumers about recommended practices. The findings will be used to 
enhance communication programs and materials developed to improve 
consumers' food safety behaviors and help prevent foodborne illness. 
Additionally, this research will provide useful information for 
tracking progress toward the goals outlined in the FSIS Fiscal Years 
2017-2021 Strategic Plan.
    FSIS has contracted with RTI International to conduct two 
iterations of a web-based survey. The first survey was conducted in 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 and the second survey will be conducted in FY 
2021. Each iteration of the exploratory survey is designed to collect 
information from 2,400 randomly selected English-speaking adult members 
of a probability-based Web-enabled research panel maintained by a 
subcontractor.
    The survey is designed to be representative of the U.S. adult 
population. This representation is achieved through address-based 
sampling (ABS), where every U.S. adult with an address (including those 
who do not have a landline phone number) has an equal probability of 
being selected for participation on the panel. A random sample of 
individuals will be selected from the panel for participation in the 
survey. A pilot will be conducted before the survey to test the survey 
instrument and procedures.
    The first iteration of the survey collected information on consumer 
use of and response to the Meat and Poultry Hotline, consumer awareness 
of The Food Safe Families campaign, and consumer behaviors for 
preparing raw meat and poultry products. The second iteration of the 
survey will pilot a food safety literacy measure on consumers' 
awareness and understanding of recommended food safety practices and 
gather nationally representative data on updates to FSIS' recall 
templates used to communicate life-saving public health information to 
the public and the media.
    Estimate of Burden: The total estimated burden for each iteration 
of the survey is 978.2 hours, for a total burden of 1,956.4 hours. To 
achieve 80 completed surveys during the pretest, 146 randomly selected 
panel members will be invited via email to take the survey. To achieve 
2,400 completed surveys during the full-scale study, 4,400 randomly 
selected panel members will be invited via email to take the survey. 
Therefore, a total of 4,546 (146 + 4,400) potential panel members will 
be invited to participate in both the pretest and the full-scale study 
for each iteration of the survey. The invitation email for the pretest 
and the full-scale survey is expected to take 2 minutes (0.03333 hour). 
Each survey is expected to take 20 minutes (0.33333 hours) to complete.

                   Estimated Annual Reporting Burden for the FY 2019 Web-Based Consumer Survey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Estimated        Annual
        Study component            number of     frequency per   Total annual       Hours per       Total hours
                                  respondents      response        responses        response
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pretest Invitation............             146               1             146  0.03333 (2 min.)            4.87
Pretest 1.....................              80               1              80  0.33333 (20                26.67
                                                                                 min.).
Survey Invitation.............           4,400               1           4,400  0.03333 (2 min.)          146.67
Survey 1......................           2,400               1           2,400  0.33333 (20                  800
                                                                                 min.).
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................           4,546  ..............  ..............  ................           978.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 A subset of the people who received the invitation.


                   Estimated Annual Reporting Burden for the FY 2021 Web-Based Consumer Survey
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Estimated        Annual
        Study component            number of     frequency per   Total annual       Hours per       Total hours
                                  respondents      response        responses        response
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pretest Invitation............             146               1             146  0.03333 (2 min.)            4.87
Pretest 1.....................              80               1              80  0.033333 (20               26.67
                                                                                 min.).
Survey Invitation.............           4,400               1           4,400  0.03333 (2 min.)          146.67
Survey 1......................           2,400               1           2,400  0.033333 (20                 800
                                                                                 min.).
                               ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total.....................           4,546  ..............  ..............  ................           978.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 A subset of the people who received the invitation.

    Respondents: Consumers.
    Estimated No. of Respondents: 9,092.
    Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 1,956.4 hours.
    Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained 
from Gina Kouba, Office of Policy and Program Development, Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065, 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250-3700; (202) 720-5627.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS's 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
method and assumptions 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, including through 
the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information 
technology. Comments may be sent to both FSIS, at the addresses 
provided above, and the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of

[[Page 31739]]

Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, DC 20253.
    Responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS will also announce and provide a link to this Federal Register 
publication through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to 
provide information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, 
Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of 
information that could affect or would be of interest to our 
constituents and stakeholders. The Constituent Update is available on 
the FSIS web page. Through the web page, FSIS can provide information 
to a much broader, more diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an 
email subscription service which provides automatic and customized 
access to selected food safety news and information. This service is 
available at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe. Options range from 
recalls to export information, regulations, directives, and notices. 
Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves and have the 
option to password protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative.
    Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax, 
or email:
    Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410.
    Fax: (202) 690-7442.
    Email: [email protected].

    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

Paul Kiecker,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2020-11269 Filed 5-26-20; 8:45 am]
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