The USDA has completed a months-long update of the foods available through the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC) to reflect the latest nutrition science, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday. The new list, which includes a significant expansion of fruit and vegetable benefits, would take effect in about 60 days.
“WIC has a half-century track record of caring for young families,” said Vilsack. Nearly 7 million low-income pregnant women, new mothers, and children under the age of 5 are enrolled in WIC, which provides supplemental foods and health-care referrals to participants.
The updates expand the list of whole-grain foods, allow the use of plant-based dairy substitutes, make canned fish available to more participants, and require grocers to offer canned beans in addition to dried beans.
For fruit and vegetables, the children’s benefit was increased to $25 a month from the current $9, and for pregnant and postpartum participants the benefit will be $44-$49 a month, compared to $12 at present.
To read a pre-publication copy of the WIC update, click here.