The Agriculture Department proposed an update to the WIC program on Thursday that would let participants buy three, or even four, times as many fruits and vegetables and would broaden the range of foods available through the program to reflect the diversity of the American diet. The expansion of fruit and vegetable allowances would increase WIC spending by 14 percent and require Congress to appropriate additional money to the $6 billion-a-year program.
The so-called bump in benefits for fresh fruits and vegetables became available in spring 2021 on a temporary basis under a Biden administration pandemic relief bill. In a February 2022 report, the National WIC Association said the increase was “a game changer in national efforts to improve child nutrition,” because low-income households did not have the resources to buy the recommended amounts of fresh produce for their children.
As part of the proposed update, quinoa and teff would be among the new options for whole grains; more nondairy products such as soy-based yogurt would be offered; canned beans would be available in addition to dried beans; and canned fish would be part of more food packages. The USDA said the modifications were based on a National Academy of Sciences study and the latest edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
“This is a good day for nutrition security,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He said the broader list of eligible foods take into account the cultural preferences and special dietary needs of Americans and could encourage more people to enroll in WIC.
The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, created in the wake of the 1969 White House conference on hunger, provides supplemental food vouchers and healthcare referrals for low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children up to age 5. Some 6.2 million people receive benefits, including half of the babies in the country, said the USDA.
“This package is a step in the right direction toward increasing program participation, improving WIC participants’ health outcomes, addressing health inequities and, ultimately, helping end hunger in the country,” said Luis Guardia, president of the Food Research and Action Center, an anti-hunger group.
Dairy farmers and processors criticized the USDA for “reducing the amount of nutritious dairy foods provided through WIC” but applauded provisions for a larger variety of yogurts and cheeses in a wider range of package sizes. Stacy Dean, a USDA deputy undersecretary, said yogurt would be available in single-serving cups as well as larger tubs.
“Not all of us are alike in our ability to digest foods,” said Vilsack when asked about the dairy industry’s objections.
Under the USDA proposal, the monthly WIC allowance for fresh fruits and vegetables would be $24 per child, $43 for pregnant and postpartum participants, and $47 for breastfeeding participants. Without the increase, the monthly allowance would be $9 per child and $11 for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding participants. The USDA said the increase would enable participants to purchase approximately half of the recommended daily amount of fresh produce.
Public comments on the proposal will be accepted through Feb. 21, said the USDA.
To read the proposed rule, click here.