Notice2021-23655
Notice of Intent To Request New Information Collection
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 1, 2021
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentEconomic Research Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) intention to request approval for a Field Test for a new information collection for a Second National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS-2) also called the National Food Study among American households.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 208 (Monday, November 1, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 208 (Monday, November 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60198-60200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23655]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Economic Research Service
Notice of Intent To Request New Information Collection
AGENCY: Economic Research Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) intention
to request approval for a Field Test for a new information collection
for a Second National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey
(FoodAPS-2) also called the National Food Study among American
households.
DATES: Written comments must be received by January 3, 2022 to be
assured of consideration.
[[Page 60199]]
ADDRESSES: All comments should be submitted electronically to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#236946454551465a0d644c4d59424f465963565047420d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3e745b58584c5b4710795150445f525b447e4b4d5a5f10595148">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to this
information collection, contact Jeffrey Gonzalez, 202-694-5341,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eba18e8d8d998e92c5ac8485918a878e91ab9e988f8ac58c849d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="2f654a49495d4a5601684041554e434a556f5a5c4b4e01484059">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Agriculture's Economic
Research Service, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), provides the general public and Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing
collections of information. This helps the Economic Research Service
(ERS) assess the impact of its information collection requirements and
minimize the public's reporting burden. It also helps the public
understand the ERS's information collection requirements and provide
the required data in the desired format. ERS is soliciting comments on
the proposed information collection requirement (ICR) that is described
below. Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology. Please note that written comments received
in response to this notice will be considered public records.
Title of Collection: The Second National Household Food Acquisition
and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS-2) Field Test.
OMB Control Number: To be assigned by OMB.
Expiration Date: Three years from the date of approval.
Type of Request: New information collection.
Abstract: The Field Test for FoodAPS-2, also known as the National
Food Study to respondents in the field, will be conducted over a four-
month period. The Field Test will collect data from 4,125 households,
including households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program) and the
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children
(WIC). Each participating household will be asked to log the foods they
get over a 7-day period.
FoodAPS-2 data are necessary to understand Americans' food and
nutrition choices, the drivers of these choices, and how the government
can improve administration of public programs at reasonable cost to
better the health and well-being of the American population. The data
will reveal precise and detailed information on: (1) Food purchased for
preparation at home and away from home; (2) food people get for free;
(3) food that each member of the household gets; (4) the nutrient
content of food items people get; (5) the cost of these foods and how
people pay for them (e.g., cash, credit or debit, program benefits,
coupons and discounts); (6) market, demographic, policy and program
characteristics of local areas where people get their food; (7)
household characteristics, including income, participation in Federal
food assistance programs, food security, and health status; and (8) the
complex interrelationship between food, nutrition, economics, program
participation, food environments, and health.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) collected similar data in
2012-2013 with the first National Household Food Acquisition and
Purchase Survey (FoodAPS-1, OMB Control Number 0536-0068). (See the
results at <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/foodaps">https://www.ers.usda.gov/foodaps</a>). The expected time between
FoodAPS-1 and the FoodAPS-2 Field Test will be about 10 years, during
which time the structure of the U.S. food economy will have changed
dramatically. American households get their food from a large variety
of places, including: Grocery stores, big box stores, farmers' markets,
food pantries, dine-in restaurants, fast food restaurants, schools,
online retailers, and other food outlets. Food acquisition behaviors
have changed in response to changing markets, household structure,
labor force participation, and other factors. There is special interest
in food demand among low-income households. At some point during each
year, about 1 in 4 Americans participate in at least one of USDA's 15
domestic food and nutrition assistance programs. To evaluate the
efficiency of the programs, USDA needs to better understand the food
acquisition behavior of program participants compared to low-income,
program-eligible, non-participating households. Neighborhoods that lack
access to healthy and affordable food have been of particular concern
for USDA. To this end, USDA needs current, accurate data on household
food acquisitions, food insecurity, food prices, and the availability
of healthful and less-healthful foods.
The main objective of the Field Test is to test the final design
and procedures for the Full Survey data collection. Specifically, the
Field Test will evaluate the following: A mail screener to reduce in-
person screening; enhancements to the data collection instruments that
assess drivers of food acquisition behavior; a new native smartphone
application; an alternative web-based Food Log using a barcode scanner,
for households who are unable to use the smartphone app; a telephone
mode option for households who are unable to use either the smartphone
app or the web-based method; and monetary incentives to encourage Food
Log reporting throughout the 7-day period.
All sampled households will receive a $5 incentive to complete a
mail screener questionnaire. All households completing an in-person
screening interview to determine eligibility for the study will receive
$5. All recruited households will receive $40 upon completion of the
Initial Interview and Food Log training. $2 will be provided to each
household member age 16 and over who completes the Income Worksheet
(available online and via the app) and another $2 per person age 11 and
over for completing the Profile Questionnaire (available online and via
the app). An additional $16 incentive will be provided to the primary
respondent after completion of a Debriefing Interview at the end of the
reporting period.
In addition, an incentives experiment is embedded in the Field
Test. The incentives experiment varies the amount of a promised
monetary incentive that each eligible household member who reports both
their food purchases and the food they get for free (including
affirmation of no food) can accumulate per day ($5 per day per eligible
member vs. $5 for days 1-3 and $10 for days 4-7). The final incentive
scheme for the Full Survey will be determined by the results of Field
Test.
Responses will be combined for statistical purposes and reported
only in aggregate or statistical form. Because this is a field test for
the full-scale FoodAPS-2 data collection, there are no plans to make
the collected data available to the public. The data will be analyzed
and used to finalize design and data collection protocol for the Full
Survey.
Authority: Legislative authority for the planned data collection is
Section
[[Page 60200]]
17 (a) (1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2026). This
section authorizes the Secretary to undertake research that will help
improve the administration and effectiveness of programs providing
nutrition benefits.
Confidentiality: All respondent information collected during the
Field Test will be protected under the statute of the Confidential
Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA),
(Title V of Pub. L. 107-347).
Type of Respondents: Individuals and households.
Estimate of Burden: The estimated total number of respondents for
this study is 4,125 contacted households and 4,650 responding
individuals. The estimated total annual burden on respondents is 3,201
hours.
BILLING CODE 3410-18-P
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN01NO21.000
Spiro Stefanou,
Administrator, Economic Research Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-23655 Filed 10-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-18-C
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