USDA adds new options for WIC participants

Friday, March 7, 2014

Nevada Daily Mail

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has finalized what it's calling the "first comprehensive revisions" since 1980 to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children program -- also known as WIC.

Changes include, among many new options, a 30 percent increase in the dollar amount provided for children's fruits and vegetable purchases, expansion of whole grain options and more flexibility for states to assist with nutritional and cultural needs for WIC participants.

Parents of older infants can opt to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables instead of jarred baby food, and some dairy products can now be substituted for milk.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said federal changes to WIC further support low-income mothers and young children.

"The updates to the WIC food package make pivotal improvement to the program and better meet the diverse needs of mothers and their young children," Vilsack said in a press release.

Beth Swopes, administrator for the Vernon County Health Department, said Vernon County has a large number of residents who participate in the program.

"At the health department, we serve about 600 clients per month," she said. That number includes pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, mothers with infants up to a year in age and children up to five years old.

Swopes said that food packages for WIC participants have drastically changed during her time working with the program. Current packages provide more fresh produce and other food options than in prior years.

Changes to WIC were finalized at the end of February. Nationally, nearly 9 million women and children utilize WIC benefits every month.

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