[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 235 (Friday, December 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85579-85581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26962]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) Connection Resource Sharing Form

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 revision to the currently approved information 
collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
form FNS-889, ``SNAP Education (SNAP-Ed) Connection Resource Sharing 
Form.'' This revision to the information collection will improve the 
submission process by clarifying the information requested for certain 
fields, thus providing data that is accurate and beneficial to 
stakeholders using the resource. These updates will also align with the 
new SNAP-Ed National Program Evaluation and Reporting System (N-PEARS) 
(OMB Control #0584-0683, expiration 4/30/2026), to ensure consistency 
with SNAP-Ed specific terms. With this update to form FNS-889, FNS has 
determined that nutrition and physical activity interventions (i.e., 
educational materials, curricula, etc.), will no longer be accepted 
through this information collection.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before February 
6, 2024 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Aurora Calvillo Buffington, Food and 
Nutrition Service, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Program 
Administration and Nutrition Division, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, 
Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#70031e11005d1514131f1e1e151304191f1e30050314115e171f06"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="47342926376a2223242829292224332e2829073234232669202831">[email protected]</span></a> or through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 
http://www.regulations.gov, and follow

[[Page 85580]]

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 
become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Brittany 
Souvenir at 703-305-2808 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#efad9d869b9b8e8196c1bc809a998a81869daf9a9c8b8ec1888099"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="83c1f1eaf7f7e2edfaadd0ecf6f5e6edeaf1c3f6f0e7e2ade4ecf5">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of agency functions, including whether the information will 
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 the 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 on those who respond, including the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technology.
    Title: SNAP-Ed Connection Resource Sharing Form.
    Form Number: FNS-889.
    OMB Control Number: 0584-0625.
    Expiration Date: 06/30/2024.
    Type of Request: Revision of currently approved data collection.
    Abstract: In 2001, the United States Department of Agriculture's 
(USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) established the Food Stamp 
Nutrition Connection to improve access to Food Stamp Program Education 
resources. In 2008, FNS renamed the website the SNAP-Ed Connection. The 
website is developed and maintained at FNS. The SNAP-Ed Connection is a 
resource website for SNAP-Ed administrators and educators. SNAP-Ed 
personnel use the SNAP-Ed Connection website to locate curricula, 
participant materials, nutrition research, administrative documents, 
and information regarding SNAP-Ed program development, implementation, 
and evaluation. This resource website helps SNAP-Ed personnel find 
tools and information needed to implement high-quality evidence-based 
obesity prevention programs.
    Within SNAP-Ed Connection is the SNAP-Ed Library, an online 
database of SNAP-Ed-related materials. SNAP-Ed personnel and other 
nutrition and public health agencies use the SNAP-Ed Connection 
Resource Sharing Form FNS-889, to voluntarily share information about 
resources that can be used to administer, develop, implement, or 
showcase SNAP-Ed programs.
    Information collected via this form enables FNS to review these 
resources for possible inclusion in the SNAP-Ed Library. SNAP-Ed 
personnel and other interested parties then search this database via 
the SNAP-Ed Connection website https://snaped.fns.usda.gov to locate 
materials of interest. By using this database, SNAP-Ed-funded programs 
can share resources, reduce duplication of efforts, and improve program 
quality and integrity. SNAP-Ed-funded programs can also learn about 
useful nutrition education materials created by other organizations.
    Prior to this proposed update, the FNS-889 was used to submit the 
following materials to the SNAP-Ed Library: nutrition and physical 
activity interventions (i.e., educational materials, curricula, etc.) 
appropriate for SNAP-eligible persons; materials related to the 
development, implementation, and administration of SNAP-Ed programs 
(e.g., staff training materials); and reports or other materials that 
demonstrate the effectiveness of SNAP-Ed funded programs.
    Moving forward, FNS will no longer accept the submission of 
nutrition and physical activity interventions for the SNAP-Ed library 
through the SNAP-Ed Connection Resource Sharing Form. FNS will review 
and accept nutrition and physical activity interventions during the 
biennial SNAP-Ed Toolkit intervention submission process (OMB Control 
#0584-0639, expiration 9/30/2024). This change ensures FNS uses the 
same submission criteria for interventions submitted to the SNAP-Ed 
Library and the SNAP-Ed Toolkit. FNS will conduct a notice and comment 
period for an updated SNAP-Ed Toolkit intervention submission process 
in Fiscal Year 2024. The FNS-889 will continue to be used for all other 
currently accepted materials such as staff training materials and SNAP-
Ed reports. Respondents will provide contact information, ordering 
information (if applicable), and information about the resource they 
are submitting.
    Additionally, respondents will submit the form information through 
an online survey and email relevant attachments to the SNAP Program. 
This change will allow uninterrupted access to the form as the SNAP-Ed 
Connection website undergoes extensive changes and updates, including 
enhanced security measures for attachments. Revisions to this form may 
add an estimated 5 minutes of burden for respondents.
    Revisions to the FNS-889 include updated data elements to clarify 
the requested information such as renaming the Format section to 
``Resource Type'' and adding ``school/community'' to the ``Garden'' 
field. The updates also align with N-PEARS for consistent use of terms. 
For instance, the form includes the updated field names ``Faith-based 
Centers'' and ``Tribes and Tribal Organizations,'' which align with N-
PEARS (OMB Control # 0584-0683, expiration 4/30/2026) and are widely 
understood by SNAP-Ed providers.
    The following updates to FNS-889 are projected:
    Removal of the ``Add another item,'' box used to submit attachments 
and replace with instructions to email attachments to the SNAP-Ed 
Connection email address.
    Removal of the Evidence section.
    Removal of seven fields from the Format section: ``Curriculum,'' 
``Evaluation Tools,'' ``FNS Materials,'' ``Guidance,'' ``PSE Change,'' 
``SNAP-Ed Toolkit Interventions,'' and ``Social Marketing.''
    Addition of Data element: Addition of a field ``Webinar,'' to the 
Format section.
    Revision of Section title: Retitle Format section to ``Resource 
Type.''
    Revision of Data element: Revision of field name ``Faith Centers,'' 
in Setting section to ``Faith-based Centers.''
    Revision of Data element: Revision of field name ``Indian 
Reservations,'' in Setting section to ``Tribal Reservations.''
    Addition of Data element: Addition of language ``school/
community,'' to the field ``Gardens,'' in the Setting section.
    Addition of Data element: Addition of four fields ``Tribes and 
Tribal Organizations,'' ``Individuals with Disabilities,'' ``People 
Experiencing Homelessness,'' and ``Food Pantry Clients,'' to the 
Audience section.

Reporting

    Affected Public: 19 State, Local and Tribal Agencies and 5 
Businesses (for profit and non-profit). Respondents may include SNAP-Ed 
State, Local and Tribal Agencies, and others who implement SNAP-Ed or 
develop nutrition and public health training materials.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: This revised collection is 
estimated to receive 24 responses per year. The estimated number of 
State, Local and Tribal Agency responses is 19, which is an increase 
from the current estimated number of 14. The estimated number of 
Businesses is 5, which is a decrease from the current estimated number 
of 10. The changes for these estimates are due to assumptions that more 
State,

[[Page 85581]]

Local and Tribal Agencies will submit reports and staff training 
materials, and less Businesses will respond as interventions are no 
longer being accepted through this form.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: This revised 
collection is estimated to receive 1.79 responses per respondent which 
is a reduction to the current estimated number of 4.44. The estimated 
decrease is due to interventions no longer being accepted through this 
form.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: This revised collection is 
estimated to receive 43 responses, which is a reduction to the current 
estimated total annual responses of 111. The estimated decrease in 
responses is due to interventions no longer being accepted through this 
form.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time per response for 
this voluntary collection is 0.25 hours (15 minutes), which is an 
increase from the current estimated time per response of 0.167 hours 
(10 minutes). The estimated increase in time per response is due to the 
change of submitting relevant attachments by email instead of through 
the database.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The estimated total 
annual burden on respondents for this voluntary collection is 10.75 
hours, which is a reduction from the current estimated total annual 
burden hours of 18.54. The estimated decrease in total annual burden 
hours is due to interventions no longer being accepted through this 
form.
    See burden estimate table below for details.

                                              Burden Estimate Table
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                                                                                   Total                 Annual
      Respondent category            Instruments      Number of   Frequency of    annual    Hours per    burden
                                                     respondents    response     responses   response   (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State, Local or Tribal Agencies  SNAP-Ed Connection           19             2          38       0.25       9.50
                                  Resource Sharing
                                  Form.
Business-for-not-for-profit....  SNAP-Ed Connection            5             1           5       0.25       1.25
                                  Resource Sharing
                                  Form.
                                                    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Total......................  ..................           24          1.79          43       0.25      10.75
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Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-26962 Filed 12-7-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P


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