burden, will be addressed in Phase 2 of the study before any specific recommendations can be made.

The panel commends USDA and DHHS for the careful and extensive work that has gone into the development of the food security measure. The panel further recognizes USDA’s continuing efforts to evaluate and improve the measure. Overall, the panel thinks that the highest research priority is to develop a clear conceptual definition of hunger and to continue and expand the evaluation and testing of the questions in the current CPS Food Security Supplement.

This Phase 1 report provides USDA with the panel’s preliminary guidance, based on discussions during the workshop and panel deliberations, for improving the food security measure. It also has made interim recommendations as guidance to USDA for the interim period until completion of the panel’s work in Phase 2 of the study and the completion of additional recommended research by USDA.

The panel in its final report will examine in more depth the issues raised in the workshop relating to the concepts, definitions, measurement issues, and analytical methods used to measure food security; possible alternative survey vehicles for measuring the concepts instead of or supplemental to the CPS; and the problems of special populations. In addition, the panel will address and make recommendations as appropriate on the tasks specified for Phase 2 and listed in Chapter 1.