Celebrating WIC This Mother’s Day

In recognition of Mother’s Day, the WIC Community Innovation and Outreach (CIAO) Project is celebrating the essential support WIC provides to millions of moms and their families on Mother’s Day and every day.  

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federal nutrition program that connects eligible individuals (including infants, children up to 5 years old, and pregnant and postpartum individuals) to critical nutrition resources and support, including healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and healthcare referrals. 

A new rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) means that WIC will soon be even stronger in how it supports moms and their families. 

USDA Final Rule on WIC Food Package 

In April, USDA published a final rule revising the WIC food package. The rule includes important updates that will enhance equitable access to nutritious food, improve the nutritional quality of the foods offered, and make WIC more participant-centered. These changes will contribute to longstanding positive impacts on program participation, health outcomes for WIC participants, and efforts to address health disparities. 

Of central importance, this update makes permanent increases in the Cash Value Benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables. The CVB for fiscal year 2024 is $26 for child participants, $47 for pregnant and postpartum participants, and $52 for mostly and fully breastfeeding participants. The values will be adjusted by USDA in subsequent years to account for inflation. This increase cements and builds on important lessons learned from fruit and vegetable increases put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The rule also makes the following significant improvements to better align the food package with the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and based on an independent science-based review completed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine:   

• increases access to whole grains in breakfast cereal, bread, and grains;  
• reduces the amount of sugar in yogurt and milk; and 
• maximizes food choice to reflect dietary guidance and accommodate cultural and individual preferences, including traditional foodways, allergies, and vegetarian/vegan eating patterns.  

The new rule also increases the allowable range of food packaging sizes to improve the ease of shopping and help reduce disparities in program delivery. This sets up the opportunity for more shopping choices for WIC participants when it comes to product size.  

The USDA rule goes into effect June 17, 2024. At that time WIC State agencies may begin implementation and must have them in place within 24 months of the rule’s publication (April 20, 2026) for all provisions except for the vitamin D requirement for yogurt for which they have 36 months to implement. For more information on implementing the revisions in the WIC Food Package Final Rule: WIC Policy Memo 2024-5: Implementing the Provisions of the Revisions in the WIC Food Packages Final Rule | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)  

Next Up  

Celebrate the importance of WIC to moms and all participants by spreading the word and supporting implementation of these improvements to WIC! 

• Learn more about the improvements: USDA WIC food package resources. 
• Spread the word about the revisions, especially the permanent fruit and vegetable benefit increase which will: 
  • Help ensure current WIC participants fully utilize the increased amount of money for fruits and vegetables in their monthly food package; and   
  • Encourage individuals eligible but not participating in WIC to enroll due to the increased value of the food package.