Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 28, 2005 / Notices 56623 

Secretary with jurisdiction will publish 

a Federal Register notice of the 

establishment of each new recreation fee 

area 6 months prior to its establishment. 

The cooperating agencies will identify 

outreach efforts to encourage public 

involvement in establishment of new 

recreation fee areas. Outreach efforts 

may include recreation fee site visits, 

public meetings, focus groups, 

newsletters, and Web sites. 

Public involvement opportunities will 

include sharing plans developed by the 

cooperating agencies for establishment 

of any recreation fee areas. These plans 

generally will contain (1) a description 

of the new recreation fee areas; (2) a 

financial analysis, including projected 

development, operating, and 

maintenance costs and projected income 

for the fee area; (3) an analysis of 

existing private and public facilities or 

services in the vicinity of the fee area 

that may compete with it, and (4) a 

description of how the cooperating 

agencies will inform the public as to 

how the fees collected at the area are 

spent. 

In addition, each cooperating agency 

will determine specific public 

involvement opportunities based on 

local needs and interests. Detailed 

guidance on public involvement will be 

incorporated in each cooperating 

agency’s directives, manuals, or orders. 

III. Demonstrating Annually How the 

Public Was Informed of the Use of 

Recreation Fee Revenues 

The cooperating agencies annually 

will post notices at each recreation fee 

area informing the public of the use or 

anticipated use of recreation fees 

collected at that site during the previous 

year. In addition, in the triennial report 

to Congress on the recreation fee 

program required by Section 809 of REA 

(16 U.S.C. 6808), the cooperating 

agencies will describe how they have 

informed the public about the use of 

recreation fee revenues. This 

information will also be made available 

on cooperating agencies’ Web sites. 

Dated: September 15, 2005. 

Mark Rey, 

Under Secretary, Natural Resources and 

Environment, Department of Agriculture. 

Dated: August 12, 2005. 

P. Lynn Scarlett, 

Assistant Secretary, Policy, Management and 

Budget, Department of the Interior. 

[FR Doc. 05–19332 Filed 9–27–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–84–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Economic Research Service 

Notice of Intent To Seek Approval To 

Collect Information 

AGENCY: Economic Research Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. 

L. 104–13) and Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 

part 1320 (60 FR 44978, August 29, 

1995), this notice announces the 

Economic Research Service’s (ERS) 

intention to request approval for a new 

information collection from the U.S. 

population. The study will collect data 

on consumers’ food purchase decisions, 

consumers’ knowledge of food safety 

and nutrition, and how safety and 

nutrition information is influencing 

purchase decisions. The information 

will be collected four times a year, about 

once per quarter. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by December 2, 2005 to be 

assured of consideration. 

ADDRESSES: Requests for additional 

information concerning this notice 

should be directed to Abebayehu 

Tegene, Food Markets Branch, Food and 

Rural Economics Division, Economic 

Research Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 1800 M St., NW., 

Washington, DC 20036–5831. Submit 

electronic comments to 

ategene@ers.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Rapid Consumer Response 

Survey. 

OMB Number: Not yet assigned. 

Expiration Date: Three years from 

date of issuance. 

Type of Request: Approval for a new 

collection of information to be 

administered by AC Nielsen. 

Abstract: The Economic Research 

Service (ERS), as the lead economic 

research arm of the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, has the responsibility to 

conduct economic research supporting 

the mission of the Department. This 

responsibility includes conducting 

research and providing information to 

Department officials on economic issues 

related to food safety, nutrition and 

health (including factors related to food 

choices), expenditure and consumption 

patterns at and away from home, food 

prices, food assistance programs, 

nutrition education, and food industry 

structure. 

USDA faces many demands where 

information about consumer behavior is 

necessary. However, there are few 

sources of such data. These sources, 

such as the National Health and 

Nutrition Examination Survey 

(NHANES), are based on large-scale 

surveys. Large-scale surveys often take 

several years for planning, surveying, 

and data management. Consequently, 

data are a few years old when released. 

Policies guided by market conditions 

have to contend with the fact that 

markets may change quickly as 

consumers respond to emerging food 

safety issues or new nutrition messages. 

To make best use of the large-scale 

surveys, researchers must be able to 

forecast important issues, sorting out 

which are transitory and which are 

more permanent. To better assess issues 

of importance to consumers and to 

agriculture, a pilot survey is being 

proposed that will address topical 

issues in consumer behavior. Each 

quarter a panel of consumers will be 

asked about one important issue they 

face. With this focused approach, 

knowledge will be gained about how to 

ask questions about safety, nutrition, 

and other issues without alarming 

consumers or guiding consumers’

responses. 

The quarterly surveys will be 

administered by AC Nielsen, a private 

data management and survey firm, to 

members of a pre-recruited panel of 

participants. The survey is to be 

completed online using the Internet. 

Administering the survey through the 

Internet will reduce the burden on 

respondents because the survey can be 

answered more quickly by computer 

than over the phone or in person, and 

because respondents can complete the 

survey at a time convenient to them. 

The panel participants have already 

provided AC Nielsen with household 

and personal characteristics such as 

family income, education, ethnicity, 

household composition, and region 

where they live. Thus, this information 

will not have to be obtained for the 

surveys. They also report all grocery 

purchases, including produce, meats 

and other random weight products, 

through the use of scanners that have 

been placed in their homes. By using 

the AC Nielsen panel of consumers, 

research can be conducted that links 

stated positions with actual market 

behavior. So, even if the panel members 

may not be representative of the U.S. 

population, the survey will give insight 

into how new issues influence markets. 

Such knowledge will help guide the 

design of large-scale surveys, and help 

sort out what issues ought to be 

addressed in this venue. The 

information gained from this pilot study 

will help researchers formulate their 

56624 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 28, 2005 / Notices 

hypotheses and provide key indicators 

on consumers’ attitude or perception on 

dietary and safety issues. 

Although ERS plans to have four 

surveys per year, unanticipated events, 

such as unforeseen food safety 

incidents, or large swings in sales 

volume, prices, or quantities of major 

food products, may demand out-of-cycle 

surveys be conducted to keep 

information current. For similar reasons, 

topics for future surveys cannot be 

determined with certainty. 

Estimate of Burden: The reporting 

burden on each respondent completing 

a quarterly survey is estimated to be 7 

minutes. Each quarterly survey will 

have 12–14 questions. 

Respondents: The panel completing 

each survey is composed of consumers 

who have already been recruited by AC 

Nielsen and agree to report all grocery 

purchases and participate in several 

surveys through the Internet. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

The sample size for AC Nielsen’s online 

Internet survey is 6,600 respondents. 

Estimated Total Burden on 

Respondents: 770 hours (7 minutes per 

survey x 6,600 respondents) for each 

quarterly survey. The annual burden for 

four surveys totals 3,080 hours. 

Comments: 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 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 

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 

are to respond, including the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technology. 

Comments should be sent to the address 

stated in the preamble. All responses to 

this notice will be summarized and 

included in the request for Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) 

approval. All comments will also 

become a matter of public record. 

Dated: September 19, 2005. 

Susan E. Offutt, 

Administrator, Economic Research Service, 

USDA. 

[FR Doc. 05–19308 Filed 9–27–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

[Docket No. 04–037N] 

Treatment of Live Poultry Before 

Slaughter 

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) is reminding 

all poultry slaughter establishments 

that, under the Poultry Products 

Inspection Act (PPIA) and Agency 

regulations, live poultry must be 

handled in a manner that is consistent 

with good commercial practices, which 

means they should be treated humanely. 

Although there is no specific federal 

humane handling and slaughter statute 

for poultry, under the PPIA, poultry 

products are more likely to be 

adulterated if, among other 

circumstances, they are produced from 

birds that have not been treated 

humanely, because such birds are more 

likely to be bruised or to die other than 

by slaughter. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Lynn Dickey, PhD, Director, Regulations 

and Petitions Policy Staff, Office of 

Policy, Program, and Employee 

Development, Food Safety and 

Inspection Service, Cotton Annex 

Building, 300 12th Street, SW., Room 

112, Washington, DC 20250–3700; (202) 

720–5627. 

Comments 

FSIS invites interested persons to 

submit comments on this notice. Submit 

comments by October 28, 2005. 

Comments may be submitted by any of 

the following methods: 

• Mail, including floppy disks or CD–

ROM’s, and hand- or courier-delivered 

items: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Food Safety 

and Inspection Service, 300 12th Street, 

SW., Room 102 Cotton Annex, 

Washington, DC 20250. 

All submissions received must 

include the Agency name and docket 

number 04–037N. All comments 

submitted in response to this notice, as 

well as research and background 

information used by FSIS in developing 

this document, will be available for 

public inspection in the FSIS Docket 

Room at the address listed above 

between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday. The comments 

also will be posted on the Agency’s Web 

site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ 

regulations/2004_Notices_Index/ 

Index.asp. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The Poultry Products Inspection Act 

(PPIA) and Implementing Regulations 

FSIS considers humane methods of 

handling animals and humane slaughter 

operations a high priority and takes 

seriously any violations of applicable 

laws and regulations. In poultry 

operations, employing humane methods 

of handling and slaughtering that are 

consistent with good commercial 

practices increases the likelihood of 

producing unadulterated product. 

FSIS regulations describe the 

operating procedures that poultry 

processors must follow to ensure 

sanitary processing, proper inspection, 

and the production of poultry products 

that are not adulterated. Under 9 CFR 

381.71, FSIS condemns poultry 

showing, on ante mortem inspection, 

certain diseases or conditions. Bruising 

is one condition that may result in 

condemnation (9 CFR 381.89). Bruises 

are likely to result when birds are not 

treated humanely. 

Moreover, the PPIA (21 U.S.C. 

453(g)(5)), as well as the Agency’s 

regulations (9 CFR 381.90), provide that 

carcasses of poultry showing evidence 

of having died from causes other than 

slaughter are considered adulterated 

and condemned. The regulations also 

require that poultry be slaughtered in 

accordance with good commercial 

practices, in a manner that results in 

thorough bleeding of the poultry 

carcass, and ensures that breathing has 

stopped before scalding so that the birds 

do not drown (9 CFR 381.65(b)). 

Compliance with these requirements 

helps ensure that poultry are treated 

humanely. 

The Reason FSIS Is Issuing This Notice 

at This Time 

FSIS is issuing this notice because 

there has been considerable 

congressional and public interest in the 

humane treatment of animals, including 

poultry. As FSIS explained in the 

September 9, 2004, Federal Register, in 

recent years, Congress has taken various 

actions to strengthen USDA’s resources 

and to ensure that FSIS enforces the 

statutory provisions concerning the 

humane handling and slaughter of 

livestock (69 FR 54625). In addition, the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture has 

received several letters from members of 

Congress expressing concerns regarding 

the humane treatment of poultry and 

supporting legislation to include 

provisions for the humane treatment of 

poultry in the Humane Methods of 

Slaughter Act (HMSA). The HMSA of 

1978 (7 U.S.C.1901 et seq.) requires that 

humane methods be used for handling