Revised Advance Letter and Study Brochure

APPENDIX C
ADVANCE LETTER AND STUDY BROCHURE

January 2, 2011
Dear Resident:
WE NEED YOUR HELP! The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is conducting a new
survey called the National Food Study. Households all across America will tell us important facts
about the food they obtain to feed their families.
The National Food Study will answer some basic questions about U.S. households:




How much do they spend on food for their family?
How much food comes from supermarkets? Restaurants? School cafeterias?
How much does food cost at these places?

This information will help us improve our programs and to help assure that all Americans have
access to a healthy diet at affordable prices.
How can you help? A professional interviewer from Mathematica Policy Research, an independent
research firm, will contact you to see if you qualify for this survey. He or she will show you an
official identification card and ask you questions to see if your household is eligible for the study.
If you are eligible and chose to participate in the study, you will be asked questions about your
family, the places where you and your family get food, and the types of food that you get. We will
ask you to keep track of the foods you get for one week and to call us three times during the week
for a short interview.
As a token of our appreciation! The primary food shopper in the household, who completes three
interviews and keeps track of food, will receive a $50 check at the end of the week. The primary
food shopper will also get a $10 gift card for each of three short telephone interviews, if you call
us. Additional members of the household will get a gift card if they report the foods that they get
during the week.
We will keep your information private. We are required by law to use your information for
statistical research only and to keep it confidential. The law prohibits us from giving anyone any
information that may identify you or your family without your consent.
We need you! Your address was selected at random using a scientific process to make sure that
every household has a chance to be included. Your participation is important. We need to interview
every selected household to get a complete and accurate picture. To learn more about the study or to
ask questions about participating in the study, see the enclosed study brochure, go to our website at
www.usdafoodsurvey.org, or call 866-275-8659.
Sincerely,

Dr. Katherine Smith, Administrator
Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
1800 M St, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Will the information
I provide be kept
confidential?
Yes. Your responses will be grouped
with others and all names will be
removed.
Deciding to take part in the study,
or not, will have no effect on any
benefits or services you receive—
now or in the future.

¿La información que
yo proporciono será
guardada en forma
confidencial?

If you have questions
about the study:
Call 1-866-275-8659
www.usdafoodsurvey.org

Si usted tiene alguna
pregunta sobre el estudio:
Llame al 1-866-275-8659
www.usdafoodsurvey.org

Sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture

Conducted by Mathematica Policy Research

Sí. Sus respuestas serán agrupadas
con las de otras personas y todos los
nombres serán extraídos.
La decisión de tomar parte en el
estudio, o no, no tendrá efecto alguno
sobre los beneficios que usted recibe
– ni ahora ni en el futuro.

P.O. Box 2393, Princeton, NJ 08543-2393
866-275-8659
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this
information collection is xxxx-xxxx. The time required to complete this information
collection is estimated to average 4.65 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining
the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

The

National
Food Study

Sponsored
by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture

El

Estudio
Nacional de la
Alimentación

Auspiciado por el
Dpto. de Agricultura
de los EE.UU.

You are Invited . . .
to take part in the National Food Study
sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Participants will save receipts,
keep a diary of food
they get outside the
home, and complete
three interviews
over a week’s time.

Why do you want to know
about the foods I get?
Knowing about the food Americans eat,
where they get their food, and how much
they pay will help USDA improve the
programs and services
provided throughout
the United States.

¿Por qué quieren saber sobre los
alimentos que yo obtengo?

Usted está invitado(a) . . .
A tomar parte en el Estudio Nacional de la
Alimentación auspiciado por el Dpto. de
Agricultura de los EE.UU. Los participantes guardarán recibos, mantendrán
un diario de los alimentos
que obtienen fuera del
hogar, y completarán tres
entrevistas durante el
periodo de una semana.

Saber sobre los alimentos que comen las
personas en el país, de dónde obtienen sus
alimentos y cuánto pagan, ayudará al Dpto. de
Agricultura (USDA) a mejorar los programas
y servicios
proporcionados
alrededor de
los Estados
Unidos.

Why Should I Sign-up?
Your household has been scientifically
selected to represent others like you in
this important study.

You can receive over $75
for being part of this study.

¿Por qué debo inscribirme
al estudio?
Su hogar ha sido
seleccionado en
forma científica para
representar a otros
como usted en este
importante estudio.

Usted puede
recibir hasta
$100 (cien
dólares) por ser
parte de este
estudio.