[Federal Register: February 20, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 33)]
[Notices]
[Page 7850-7851]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20fe09-40]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 7850]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2007-0038]
Notice of Request for a New Information Collection (Consumer
Focus Groups)
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 a new
information collection concerning the use of focus groups to obtain
information from consumers on various food safety issues to support
Agency decision-making and policy formulation.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before April 21,
2009.
ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on this
notice. Comments may be submitted by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions at that site for
submitting comments.
Mail, including floppy disks or CD-ROMs, and hand- or
courier-delivered items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW., Room 2534, South Agriculture Building, Washington, DC
20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must
include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2007-0038. 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, go
to the FSIS Docket Room at the address listed above between 8:30 a.m.
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
For Additional Information: Contact John O'Connell, Paperwork
Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA,
1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 3532 South Building, Washington, DC
20250, (202) 720-0345.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Consumer Focus Groups.
Type of Request: New information collection.
Abstract: FSIS has been delegated the authority to exercise the
functions of the Secretary 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.). FSIS protects the public by
verifying that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome,
unadulterated, and properly labeled and packaged.
FSIS is requesting a new information collection addressing
paperwork requirements related to the collection of information from
the use of consumer focus groups.
To assist in fulfilling its public health mission, FSIS needs at
times to obtain information from consumers to assess the effectiveness
of its consumer protection initiatives and to gain data to support
Agency decisionmaking and policy formulation.
Foodborne illness is a significant public health problem in the
United States. Of particular concern are those populations at risk for
foodborne illness--the very young, the very old, and individuals with
compromised immune systems. Labeling information can be used to educate
consumers to avoid higher-risk consumption choices and to help them
follow the recommended safe handling practices. For consumer education
efforts to be effective, FSIS needs to ensure that it has a clear
understanding of who is at risk and of what mechanisms for delivering
food safety and public health messages are likely to be successful.
Thus, FSIS is seeking information about the content of public health
messages, and methods of delivery of those messages, that will promote
safe food handling and preparation practices among consumers.
FSIS is planning to contract for research to test public health
messages on safe handling and preparation of meat, poultry, and egg
products, to assess how well these messages convey information, and to
identify effective delivery mechanisms for these messages. The research
will use consumer focus groups to determine the perceptions of segments
of the general population and at-risk populations regarding relevant
food safety messages.
FSIS is requesting an information collection for twelve consumer
focus groups. The purpose of the first six focus groups is to conduct
qualitative research with consumers to (1) assess consumers'
understanding of cooking instructions for specific products (e.g.,
uncooked, breaded, boneless poultry products) and (2) collect
information on consumers' understanding of existing public health
messages (e.g., use a thermometer to check the doneness of meat and
poultry). The purpose of the second set of six focus groups is to
conduct qualitative research with consumers to collect information on
consumers' understanding of new public health messages. FSIS will use
the results of the focus groups to inform the development of labeling
policy for meat, poultry, and egg products and to refine, and to decide
how to disseminate, public health messages to ensure that they are
useful for effecting behavioral change and reducing foodborne illness.
FSIS has made the following estimates based upon an information
collection assessment:
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates that it will take respondents an
average of 2 hours per response.
Respondents: Consumers.
Estimated No. of Respondents: 120.
Estimated No. of Annual Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 240 hours.
Copies of this information collection assessment can be obtained
from John O'Connell, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Food Safety
and Inspection Service, USDA, 1400 Independence,
[[Page 7851]]
SW., Room 3532, South Bldg., Washington, DC 20250, (202) 720-0345.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of FSIS' functions,
including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the
accuracy of FSIS' estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology 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 Management and Budget, 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, in an effort to ensure that the
public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with
disabilities, are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it on-line
through the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/
regulations/2009_Notices_Index/index.asp.
FSIS also will make copies of this Federal Register publication
available 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 Update is communicated via Listserv, a free e-mail
subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and farm groups,
consumer interest groups, allied health professionals, scientific
professionals, and other individuals who have requested to be included.
The Update also is available on the FSIS Web page. Through Listserv and
the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader,
more diverse audience.
In addition, FSIS offers an e-mail 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/
news_and_events/email_subscription/.
Options range from recalls to export information to regulations,
directives and notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions
themselves, and have the option to password protect their accounts.
Done at Washington, DC, on: February 13, 2009.
Alfred V. Almanza,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. E9-3603 Filed 2-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P