[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 16, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57845-57850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-15511]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: 2027 Farm to School 
Census

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 (OMB Number 0584-0646) for the 2027 
Farm to School Census.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before September 16, 
2024.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Amy Rosenthal, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Braddock Metro Center II, 1320 
Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be 
sent via email to Amy Rosenthal at [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 Amy 
Rosenthal at [email protected], 703-305-2245.

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: 2027 Farm to School Census.
    OMB Number: 0584-0646.
    Expiration Date: 5/31/25.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act authorized and funded USDA to establish a farm to school 
program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and 
technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that 
improve food and agriculture education as well as access to local foods 
in schools. This work is housed within the FNS Community Food Systems 
Division. As part of the Farm to School Program's authorization, CFSD 
collects and disseminates information on farm to school activity 
throughout the country. CFSD conducted a national census of farm to 
school activity in 2013, 2015, 2019, and 2023. The Farm to School 
Census provides the only nationally-representative data available on 
farm to school participation and activities in the United States.
    The 2027 Farm to School Census (Census) will collect and synthesize 
data from a national census of SFAs to better understand the 
characteristics of SFAs participating in farm to school and the scope 
and details of the activities

[[Page 57846]]

they engage in (e.g., local food procurement, gardening, agriculture 
education). The Census will be distributed to all public \1\ and 
private SFAs (including residential child care institutions) 
participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in the 50 
states, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto 
Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, DC.
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    \1\ Public includes charter schools that operate NSLP.
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    The primary mode of data collection will be an online survey, 
distributed to SFA directors. The online survey is expected to take 30 
minutes to complete. Census questions will be based on prior Farm to 
School Census instruments, from the iterations conducted in 2023 (the 
currently approved collection, OMB Number 0584-0646), 2019 (OMB Number 
0584-0646), 2015 (OMB Number 0584-0593), and 2013 (OMB Number 0536-
0069). The 2027 survey instrument will closely follow the 2023 
instrument in order to insure comparability. Some questions and/or 
response options may be removed, added or adjusted based on current 
research interests and to make the instrument as streamlined as 
possible. Respondents will receive an invitation to complete the Census 
along with a worksheet to help them prepare to respond to the survey 
and a document with answers to frequently asked questions.
    To construct the contact list for the Census, State Child Nutrition 
(CN) directors will be sent a list of all SFAs in their State or 
territory, based on the most recently available FNS data. They will be 
asked to (1) add or remove any SFAs that have begun or ended 
participation in the NSLP and (2) provide contact information for the 
director of each SFA. State CN directors will also be asked to forward 
an announcement email (and one email reminder about the Census to SFAs.
    Non-respondents will receive a reminder phone call and up to nine 
reminder emails. Study team staff will also be available for technical 
and completion assistance via a toll-free phone number.
    Affected Public: The affected public includes State, Local, and 
Tribal Government (directors of public SFAs participating in the NSLP 
and State Child Nutrition directors); Business or Other For Profit 
(directors of private SFAs participating in the NSLP); and Not for 
Profit (directors of not for profit SFAs participating in the NSLP).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The estimated number of 
respondents is 19,056. This includes 12,406 respondents and 6,650 non-
respondents. The number of unique respondents expected to provide data 
for this study are 9,806 State/local government respondents (56 CN 
directors and 9,750 directors of public SFAs), 1,625 business 
respondents (directors of private SFAs), and 975 not for profit 
respondents (directors of not for profit SFAs). These numbers are based 
on an estimated 65% response rate to the survey for SFAs (based on the 
2023 Census response rate) and a 100% response rate to requests to 
State CN directors.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: All respondents will 
be asked to respond to each specific data collection activity only 
once. The overall average number of responses per respondent across the 
entire collection is 13.4.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: The estimated number of total 
annual responses is 255,088.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time of response varies 
from 2 minutes (for some emails) to 30 minutes (for completion of the 
Census survey), as shown in the burden table below. The estimated time 
per response is 4.7 minutes (0.08 hours).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 20,110 hours. This 
includes 14,267 hours for respondents and 5,843 hours for non-
respondents. See the table below for estimated total annual burden for 
each type of respondent.

[[Page 57847]]



                                                                                                         Respondent Burden Table
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                                                                                                                               Responsive                                               Non-responsive
                                                                                                      -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Estimated
                                                                                                                                                                    Estimated                                                    total
           Respondent type              Respondent description       Data collection        Original    Estimated    Frequency     Total               Estimated    number of    Frequency     Total               Estimated    annual
                                                                         activity         sample size   number of       of        annual    Hours per    annual       non-          of        annual    Hours per    annual      hour
                                                                                                       respondents   response    responses   response    burden    respondents   response    responses   response    burden     burden
                                                                                                                                                        (hours)         *                                           (hours)
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        State/local government         State Child Nutrition     Announcement email from           56           56           1          56     0.0668       3.74             0           0           0       0.00       0.00        3.74
                                        directors.                FNS to State Child
                                                                  Nutrition Directors.
                                                                 Contact list request              56           56           1          56       1.00      56.00             0           0           0       0.00       0.00       56.00
                                                                  from Study Team to
                                                                  State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors \1\.
                                                                 Announcement email from           56           56           1          56       0.50      28.00             0           0           0       0.00       0.00       28.00
                                                                  State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                 Reminder email from               56           56           1          56       0.25      14.00             0           0           0       0.00       0.00       14.00
                                                                  State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Subtotal (States)...           56           56           4         224       0.45     101.74             0        0.00           0       0.00       0.00      101.74
                                       SFA directors: Public     Census survey pretest..            9            9           1           9       1.50      13.50             0           0  ..........       0.00       0.00       13.50
                                        schools.                 Announcement email from  ...........  ...........  ..........  ..........  .........  .........  ............  ..........  ..........  .........  .........  ..........
                                                                  State Child Nutrition        15,000        9,750           1       9,750     0.0668     651.30         5,250           1       5,250     0.0334     175.35      826.65
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                 Introductory email from       15,000        9,750           1       9,750     0.0668     651.30         5,250           1       5,250     0.0334     175.35      826.65
                                                                  Study Team to SFAs.
                                                                 Census preparation            15,000        4,875           1       4,875       0.50   2,437.50        10,125           1      10,125     0.0334     338.18    2,775.68
                                                                  worksheet.
                                                                 Census frequently asked       15,000        4,875           1       4,875       0.25   1,218.75        10,125           1      10,125     0.0334     338.18    1,556.93
                                                                  questions (FAQ)
                                                                  document.
                                                                 Census survey..........       15,000        9,750           1       9,750       0.50   4,875.00         5,250           1       5,250     0.0501     263.03    5,138.03
                                                                 Reminder email #1......       14,100          846           1         846     0.0501      42.38        13,254           1      13,254     0.0334     442.68      485.07
                                                                 Reminder email #2......       13,254          795           1         795     0.0501      39.84        12,459           1      12,459     0.0334     416.12      455.96
                                                                 Reminder email #3......       12,459          748           1         748     0.0501      37.45        11,711           1      11,711     0.0334     391.16      428.61
                                                                 Reminder email #4......       11,711          703           1         703     0.0501      35.20        11,009           1      11,009     0.0334     367.69      402.89
                                                                 Reminder email #5......       11,009          661           1         661     0.0501      33.09        10,348           1      10,348     0.0334     345.62      378.72
                                                                 Reminder email #6......       10,348          621           1         621     0.0501      31.11         9,727           1       9,727     0.0334     324.89      355.99
                                                                 Reminder email #7......        9,727          584           1         584     0.0501      29.24         9,144           1       9,144     0.0334     305.39      334.63
                                                                 Reminder email #8......        9,144          549           1         549     0.0501      27.49         8,595           1       8,595     0.0334     287.07      314.56

[[Page 57848]]

 
                                                                 Reminder email from           15,000        9,750           1       9,750     0.0668     651.30         5,250           1       5,250     0.0334     175.35      826.65
                                                                  State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                 Reminder telephone call        8,595        1,719           1       1,719     0.0501      86.12         6,876           1       6,876     0.0334     229.66      315.78
                                                                 Thank you email........        9,750        9,750           1       9,750     0.0334     325.65             0           0           0       0.00       0.00      325.65
                                                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Subtotal (SFAs:            15,000        9,750           7      65,733       0.17  11,186.23         5,250       25.59     134,372       0.03   4,575.71   15,761.93
                                                                     Public Schools).
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                                             Subtotal (All State/local government)             15,056        9,806           7      65,957       0.17  11,287.97         5,250       25.59     134,372       0.03   4,575.71   15,863.67
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Business.............................  SFA directors: Private    Announcement email from        2,500        1,625           1       1,625     0.0668     108.55           875           1         875     0.0334      29.23      137.78
                                        schools.                  State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                 Introductory email from        2,500        1,625           1       1,625     0.0668     108.55           875           1         875     0.0334      29.23      137.78
                                                                  Study Team to SFAs.
                                                                 Census preparation             2,500          813           1         813       0.50     406.25         1,688           1       1,688     0.0334      56.36      462.61
                                                                  worksheet.
                                                                 Census frequently asked        2,500          813           1         813       0.25     203.13         1,688           1       1,688     0.0334      56.36      259.49
                                                                  questions (FAQ)
                                                                  document.
                                                                 Census survey..........        2,500        1,625           1       1,625       0.50     812.50           875           1         875     0.0501      43.84      856.34
                                                                 Reminder email #1......        2,350          141           1         141     0.0501       7.06         2,209           1       2,209     0.0334      73.78       80.84
                                                                 Reminder email #2......        2,209          133           1         133     0.0501       6.64         2,076           1       2,076     0.0334      69.35       75.99
                                                                 Reminder email #3......        2,076          125           1         125     0.0501       6.24         1,952           1       1,952     0.0334      65.19       71.43
                                                                 Reminder email #4......        1,952          117           1         117     0.0501       5.87         1,835           1       1,835     0.0334      61.28       67.15
                                                                 Reminder email #5......        1,835          110           1         110     0.0501       5.52         1,725           1       1,725     0.0334      57.60       63.12
                                                                 Reminder email #6......        1,725          103           1         103     0.0501       5.18         1,621           1       1,621     0.0334      54.15       59.33
                                                                 Reminder email #7......        1,621           97           1          97     0.0501       4.87         1,524           1       1,524     0.0334      50.90       55.77
                                                                 Reminder email #8......        1,524           91           1          91     0.0501       4.58         1,432           1       1,432     0.0334      47.85       52.43
                                                                 Reminder email from            2,500        1,625           1       1,625     0.0668     108.55           875           2       1,750     0.0334      58.45      167.00
                                                                  State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                 Reminder telephone call        1,432          286           1         286     0.0501      14.35         1,146           1       1,146     0.0334      38.28       52.63
                                                                 Thank you email........        1,625        1,625           1       1,625     0.0334      54.28             0           0           0       0.00       0.00       54.28
                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 57849]]

 
                                                      Subtotal (Business)                       2,500        1,625           7      10,954       0.17   1,862.12           875       26.59      23,270       0.03     791.84    2,653.96
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Not For Profit.......................  SFA directors: Not for    Announcement email from        1,500          975           1         975     0.0668      65.13           525           1         525     0.0334      17.54       82.67
                                        profit schools.           State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                 Introductory email from        1,500          975           1         975     0.0668      65.13           525           1         525     0.0334      17.54       82.67
                                                                  Study Team to SFAs.
                                                                 Census preparation             1,500          488           1         488       0.50     243.75         1,013           1       1,013     0.0334      33.82      277.57
                                                                  worksheet.
                                                                 Census frequently asked        1,500          488           1         488       0.25     121.88         1,013           1       1,013     0.0334      33.82      155.69
                                                                  questions (FAQ)
                                                                  document.
                                                                 Census survey..........        1,500          975           1         975       0.50     487.50           525           1         525     0.0501      26.30      513.80
                                                                 Reminder email #1......        1,410           85           1          85     0.0501       4.24         1,325           1       1,325     0.0334      44.27       48.51
                                                                 Reminder email #2......        1,325           80           1          80     0.0501       3.98         1,246           1       1,246     0.0334      41.61       45.60
                                                                 Reminder email #3......        1,246           75           1          75     0.0501       3.75         1,171           1       1,171     0.0334      39.12       42.86
                                                                 Reminder email #4......        1,171           70           1          70     0.0501       3.52         1,101           1       1,101     0.0334      36.77       40.29
                                                                 Reminder email #5......        1,101           66           1          66     0.0501       3.31         1,035           1       1,035     0.0334      34.56       37.87
                                                                 Reminder email #6......        1,035           62           1          62     0.0501       3.11           973           1         973     0.0334      32.49       35.60
                                                                 Reminder email #7......          973           58           1          58     0.0501       2.92           914           1         914     0.0334      30.54       33.46
                                                                 Reminder email #8......          914           55           1          55     0.0501       2.75           859           1         859     0.0334      28.71       31.46
                                                                 Reminder email from            1,500          975           1         975     0.0668      65.13           525           2       1,050     0.0334      35.07      100.20
                                                                  State Child Nutrition
                                                                  Directors to SFAs.
                                                                 Reminder telephone call          859          172           1         172     0.0501       8.61           688           1         688     0.0334      22.97       31.58
                                                                 Thank you email........          975          975           1         975     0.0334      32.57             0           0           0       0.00       0.00       32.57
                                      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Subtotal (Not for profit)                    1,500          975           7       6,572       0.17   1,117.27           525       26.59      13,962       0.03     475.11    1,592.38
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    Total Reporting Burden..............................................................       19,056       12,406           7      83,483       0.17     14,267         6,650       25.81     171,605       0.03      5,843      20,110
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[[Page 57850]]

Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-15511 Filed 7-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P