CSFP Participant Characteristics and Program Operations Study

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 is a new information collection request in which FNS seeks a description of Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) participant characteristics and program operations. CSFP provides free groceries to approximately 700,000 low-income seniors each month and is administered by 60 state agencies, approximately 250 local agencies, and approximately 9,000 distribution sites.

Request for Comments

Written comments must be received on or before Oct. 4, 2024.

Comments may be sent to Rachel Zack, Office of Policy Support, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via email to [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.

Abstract

Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) provides USDA Foods to income-eligible seniors aged 60 years and older. This will be the first comprehensive nationally representative study of CSFP participant characteristics and program operations.

The CSFP Participant Characteristics and Program Operations (CSFP PCPO) study will provide nationally representative information on CSFP participants and local program operations. Through this study, FNS aims to better understand who is participating in the program, how the program is operated, and successes and challenges in implementing CSFP. Findings from the study will help to identify program needs and inform decisions at the federal, state, and local levels about program administration and potential policy decisions.

The objectives of this study are to: (1) provide a sociodemographic and health profile of CSFP participants; (2) describe CSFP participants' use of the program and its contribution to their food supply; (3) provide descriptive information on key aspects of CSFP operations at the state and local agency level; and (4) describe the participants' experience with, and perceptions of, CSFP.

The study will consist of surveys with three populations: (a) all CSFP state agencies, (b) all CSFP local agencies, and (c) a sample of CSFP participants from a nationally representative sample of CSFP distribution sites. We define distribution sites as any location that distributes CSFP food packages directly to CSFP participants. The study will also request administrative data from local agencies with information on their distribution site characteristics, which will be used for sampling for the participant survey, as well as de-identified data on participant demographics and program use if available.

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