The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, commends Congress and the Biden administration for including an increase in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits as part of the stopgap budget resolution passed this week.
The budget resolution includes an extension of the cash value benefit (CVB) increase for produce in the WIC program from Sept. 30 through December 2021. The increase is $24 per month for children, $43 per month for pregnant and postpartum participants, and $47 per month for breastfeeding participants.
“This extension of benefits will greatly help the efforts of independent community grocers to increase access to fresh produce for the food insecure, especially in rural and urban areas where access to such foods may be limited,” said Molly Pfaffenroth, NGA’s senior director of government relations.
