Study 2: FMCS OMB F3 NASS Comments and Response_for review

APPENDIX F3: National Agricultural Statistics Service Comments and Response

Farmers Market Client Survey eVALUATION

Reviewer:

Leanne Tang

Statistical Methods Branch

Statistics Division

National Agricultural Statistics Service

USDA

General

Overall, the OMB package for Farmers Market Client Survey is well done. The supporting statement document was well written with information well organized and easy to follow. The methodology is sound and solid. The questionnaire was well designed with only a few comments listed in detail below. The other survey support documents (Telephone Interview Script, Refusal Conversion Strategy and Script, etc) provide excellent guidance for data collection.

The Spanish version documents were not reviewed.

All comments/recommendations are made in font color RED.

1. OMB Supporting Statement B

PART B. COLLECTIONS OF INFORMATION EMPLOYING STATISTICAL METHODS

Sample dates are not consistent:

B.1.2 Sampling Methods

This study is a survey of FM managers and includes a sample of FMs and direct marketing farmers (DMF) with EBT transactions in the past year (August 2010 through July 2011).

We will analyze the ALERT data on participants from July 2011 through June 2012.

Response: To clarify the time frame, these two reference periods were added.

2. OMB B1 Survey

Section B Shopping at Framers Markets

Recommended wordings for following question:

B8. How much do you usually spend when you go to farmers markets?

B8. How much do you usually spend on a trip to a farmers market?

B9. How much of the money you marked in question B8 do you usually spend on fruits and vegetables?

• None of it

• A little of it

• Some of it

• Most of it

• All of it

Response: Recommended changes made to survey questions.

3. OMB B1 Survey

Section E About You and Your Household

Insert new questions and re-assign numbers as:

E1. Do you have children in your household and share food and food expenses with you?

• Yes

• No  Go to QUESTION E4

E2. In the past year, did any children who live in your household get free or reduced price lunch from the National School Lunch Program?

• No

• Yes

E3. In the past year, did any children who live in your household go to a Head Start program or a childcare program where they got free meals?

• No

• Yes

E4. Do you have other people who live with you and share food and food expenses with you?

• Yes

• No

E5. In the past year, did you or anyone who lives in your household get help from WIC?

• No

• Yes

E6. In the past year, did you or anyone who lives in your household get WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons?

• No

• Yes

E7. In the past year, did you or anyone who lives in your household get Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons?

• No

• Yes

E8. In the past year, did you or anyone who lives in your household get help from Meals on Wheels or the Senior Nutrition Program?

• No

• Yes

E9. In the past year, did you or anyone who lives in your household get any other type of food assistance, such as from food banks, food pantries or other organizations?

• No

• Yes

E10. Are you:

• Male

• Female

E11. How old are you?

• 18-29 years old

• 30-39 years old

• 40-49 years old

• 50-59 years old

• 60 and older

Response: Recommended changes made to survey questions.

4. OMB E1 Focus group recruitment script -- English

Section B Shopping at Framers Markets

Groups will be held in [3 SITES]

Whom to recruit

• In [TWO TO-BE-DETERMINED SITES], we want FOR EACH SITE:

• 20-24 adults, age 18 or older who:

• Are current SNAP participants

• Have shopped at a farmers’ market more than 2 times within the past 12 months – In the Participant Recruiting Screener there is no question about number of times shopped at the farmers’ market.

• Are fluent in English

• 20-24 adults, age 18 or older who:

• Are current SNAP participants

• Have shopped at a farmers’ market between 0 and 2 times within the past one year – In the Participant Recruiting Screener there is no question about number of times shopped at the farmers’ market.

• Are fluent in English

• In [ONE SITE TO BE DETERMINED], we want:

• 20-24 adults, age 18 or older who:

• Are current SNAP participants

• Have shopped at a farmers’ market more than 2 times within the past 12 months – In the Participant Recruiting Screener there is no question about number of times shopped at the farmers’ market.

• Half of whom are fluent in Spanish only; half of whom are bi-lingual and are comfortable participating in a Spanish-language group. – In the Participant Recruiting Screener there is no question about the language they are fluent in or bi-lingual.

• 20-24 adults, age 18 or older who:

• Are current SNAP participants

• Have shopped at a farmers’ market between 0 and 2 times within the past one year – In the Participant Recruiting Screener there is no question about number of times shopped at the farmers’ market.

• Half of whom are fluent in Spanish only; half of whom are bi-lingual and are comfortable participating in a Spanish-language group. – In the Participant Recruiting Screener there is no question about the language they are fluent in or bi-lingual.

Response: The question has been revised to distinguish between those who shop more than 2 times at a farmers market in the past year and those who shop 2 or fewer times in the past year.

The determination of whether someone is bi-lingual will be made by observation by the person asking the recruiting questions.

FOR ALL GROUPS

• Mix of education levels. No more than 2 with an advanced degree; At least 5 with only some college or below; At least 2 with high school/GED or below.

• Mixed racial background (at least 3 non-White)

• Gender Mix. No more than 6 of one gender, if possible

• At least three individuals who are aged 65 or older

• At least three individuals who are parents of young children and receive WIC – In the Participant Recruiting Screener there is no question asking if they are parents of young children and receive WIC.

• Only one person recruited per household.

Response: Participant Recruiting Screener question added to determine if participant is a parent of young children who receive WIC.

5. OMB Supporting Statement A

PART A. JUSTIFICATION Background

Survey dates are not consistent with the dates in other documents:

The proposed study will provide information on shopping behaviors for fresh fruits and vegetables of SNAP participants who purchase food in a catchment area around a nationally representative sample of farmers markets that redeemed at least $1,000 in SNAP benefits from June 2010 through May 2011.

Response: To clarify this reference period was added.

OMB Supporting Statement A

PART A. A.16 For Collections of Information whose Results are Planned to be Published, Outline Plans for Tabulation and Publication - Analysis Plan

16. Understand the range of produce sold at the farmers market at the height of the market season.

There is no question in Questionnaire provided or in Farmers Market Focus Group Moderator Guide asking about the range of produce sold at the farmers market. Based on the questionnaire and Focus Group Moderator Guide we will not have the data about the range of produce sold at the farmers market and will not be able to make conclusion about the range of produce sold at the farmers market.

Response: This task focuses on the consumer and not the farmers market. The questionnaire (C6) does ask the consumer to indicate how often the buy certain categories of items at the farmers market.