A1 Advance letter_English Version

Appendix A-1

Advance Letter

National Food Study Pilot

Agency: Economic Research Service

Contractor: Westat, Inc.

OMB Control Number: xxxx-xxxx

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

November, 2016

NAME

ADDRESS 1

ADDRESS 2

CITY, STATE ZIP

Dear [NAME],

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS), we are inviting you to take part in the National Food Study (NFS) Pilot. The NFS Pilot helps USDA learn about the kinds of food American households have access to and get in order to make improvements to food programs in the future to improve everybody’s health. Westat, a research firm located in Rockville, Maryland, has been hired by USDA to carry out this important study.

National Food Study Pilot

Interviewer ID

Placeholder

Your household was selected through a scientific method to participate in the study. In the next few days, a Westat interviewer, wearing an ID badge similar to the one displayed to the right, will come to your home to tell you more about the study. The interviewer will ask you a few questions to determine if you are eligible to participate. If you are, we will enroll you in the study and explain how to keep track of and record all of the food your household purchases or gets for free over a 7-day period. Single person households can receive up to $176.00 upon completion. Households with additional persons can receive more.

Participation in this study is completely voluntary, but we hope you will participate. Your information will be kept confidential. No one at USDA or anyone who is not connected to the research will have access to the information you provide to Westat. You have the right to refuse or stop participating in this study at any time without affecting any current (or future) benefits you may be receiving from USDA or any other governmental agency.

For more information on the National Food Study Pilot, please see the enclosed information sheet and visit the study website (https://www.nationalfoodstudy.org). You may also call us toll free at XXX-XXX-XXXX to ask questions or schedule an appointment for an interviewer to visit your home.

This important study can only succeed with the help of households like yours. I do hope you will agree to be part of it. Thank you for reading this letter and considering participation in the study.

Sincerely,

John Kirlin

Food Assistance Branch, Food Economics Division

Economic Research Service, USDA