The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service is proposing produce-positive changes to the foods prescribed to participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.
The science-based revisions incorporate recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, according to a news release.
“USDA is committed to advancing maternal and child health through WIC, helping mothers, babies and young kids thrive,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the release. “These proposed changes will strengthen WIC — already an incredibly powerful program — by ensuring it provides foods that reflect the latest nutrition science to support healthy eating and bright futures.”
The USDA is proposing changes to align the food packages with the latest nutrition science and support equitable access to nutritious foods during critical life stages, the release said.
The proposed revisions support fruit and vegetable consumption by increasing the amount provided and the varieties available for purchase according to the release.
Congress previously implemented a significant but temporary boost to the benefit provided to WIC participants for purchasing fruits and vegetables, and the USDA proposes making that increase permanent, providing participants with up to four times the amount they would otherwise receive, the release said.
The agency also proposes revisions that give participants a greater variety of fruits and veggies to choose from and adjust the quantity of juice to reflect nutrition guidance, which emphasizes whole fruits and vegetables, the release said.
The International Fresh Produce Association praised the proposed updates to the WIC food packages.
Since 2017, the industry has been advocating for an updated WIC food package to permanently increase the Cash Value Benefit for fruits and vegetables to the levels consistent with the DGA and the 2017 NASEM recommendations, according to a news release.
“WIC is one of the crown jewels of our nation’s nutrition programs, and today’s announcement means that WIC children and families can truly access fruits and vegetables in amounts consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association, said in the release. “The fresh produce industry celebrates the increased emphasis on fruits and vegetables and will continue to provide families with delicious and nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables for families so their children can grow and thrive.”
Since the WIC program introduced the Cash Value Benefit (CVB) in 2009, which allows participants to purchase fruits and vegetables of their choice as an additional part of their WIC food package, the feature has consistently been one of the most highly redeemed components of the program and has proven to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, the release said.
The amount for the CVB increased as part of the American Rescue Plan in March 2021, initially for four months. Congress later extended the WIC benefit increase in September 2021, at amounts recommended by NASEM: $24 per month for children, $43 for pregnant and postpartum participants, and $47 for breastfeeding participants to spend solely on fruits and vegetables.
“Preliminary data has shown that WIC participants increased their purchasing of fruits and vegetables and were able to purchase more varieties of fruits and vegetables with the increased CVB amounts — a win-win for participants, retailers, and growers,” Mollie Van Lieu, vice president of nutrition and health for IFPA, said in the release. “Most importantly, the update resulted in a 1/3 cup daily increase in fruit and vegetable consumption in young children. This is a win for the millions of families who rely on the program and a huge step in our fight to ensure all Americans are meeting DGA recommendations.”
The USDA said other proposed changes to WIC food packages include, but are not limited to:
- Expanding whole grain options to include foods like quinoa, blue cornmeal and teff to reflect dietary guidance and accommodate individual or cultural preferences.
- Providing more non-dairy substitution options such as soy-based yogurts and cheeses — and requiring lactose-free milk to be offered.
- Including canned fish in more food packages, creating more equitable access to this under-consumed food.
- Requiring canned beans to be offered in addition to dried.
- Adding more flexibility in the amount of formula provided to partially breastfed infants to support individual breastfeeding goals.
All of the proposed changes are based on NASEM’s report, Review of WIC Food Packages: Improving Balance and Choice, and the latest edition of the dietary guidelines, the release said. Revisions are also informed by the FDA-EPA Advice about Eating Fish and feedback from WIC participants, state and tribal partners and other government agencies.
FNS encourages all interested parties to provide feedback on the proposed changes by visiting www.regulations.gov. The comment period will be open from Nov. 21, 2022, through Feb. 21, 2023, the USDA said.
