Proposed adjustments promote vitamin safety and maternal and little one well being, improve flexibility for individuals
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2022 – This month, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack introduced that USDA’s Meals and Diet Service is proposing adjustments to the meals prescribed to individuals within the Particular Supplemental Diet Program for Ladies, Infants and Kids, referred to as WIC. These science-based revisions incorporate suggestions from the Nationwide Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medication (NASEM) and the Dietary Pointers for People, 2020-2025.
The WIC meals packages are particularly designed to complement the meals and drinks individuals already eat and fill in key dietary gaps to assist wholesome development and growth. Meals and Diet Service, or FNS, is proposing changes to align the meals packages with the most recent vitamin science and assist equitable entry to nutritious meals throughout vital life phases.
Taken collectively, the adjustments will improve the present stage of help whereas offering WIC state companies with extra flexibility to tailor the packages to accommodate private and cultural meals preferences and particular dietary wants and improve selection and selection for WIC individuals, making this system extra interesting for present and potential individuals.
“USDA is dedicated to advancing maternal and little one well being by WIC, serving to moms, infants and younger children thrive,” stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These proposed adjustments will strengthen WIC – already an extremely highly effective program – by guaranteeing it supplies meals that mirror the most recent vitamin science to assist wholesome consuming and vivid futures.”
“For the greater than 6 million mothers, infants and younger youngsters who take part in WIC – and the tens of millions extra eligible to take part – these proposed revisions have the potential to make optimistic, life-long impacts on well being and well-being,” stated Stacy Dean, deputy undersecretary for meals, vitamin, and shopper providers.
The proposed revisions assist fruit and vegetable consumption by rising the quantity supplied and the varieties obtainable for buy. Congress beforehand applied a major however short-term enhance to the profit supplied to WIC individuals for buying vegatables and fruits. FNS proposes making that improve everlasting, offering individuals with as much as 4 occasions the quantity they might in any other case obtain. FNS additionally proposes revisions that give individuals a higher number of fruits and veggies to select from and regulate the amount of juice to mirror vitamin steering, which emphasizes complete vegatables and fruits.
To view a media toolkit with extra info on the WIC meals packages announcement, please view the WIC Food Package Media Toolkit page. For a Q&A on the proposed adjustments to the WIC meals packages, please view the WIC Food Packages Proposed Revisions Q&As page.
See under for what they’re saying:
Home Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro
“WIC reaches over 6 million moms, infants, and kids – and is an important instrument in our work to finish starvation in america. This system is proof and science primarily based and delivers life sustaining outcomes for moms and their youngsters. The rule introduced immediately will construct on the Nationwide Technique launched on the White Home Convention on Starvation, Diet, and Well being, and provide extra selection and suppleness to program individuals. I’m particularly proud that it extends the will increase within the money worth voucher, which we established within the pandemic response payments and which I helped preserve by our authorities funding payments as Chair of the Home Appropriations Committee. I thank my pal Secretary Vilsack for his work to supply this rule that can transfer ahead our work to finish starvation.”
Home Guidelines Committee Chairman Jim McGovern
“The historic reforms introduced immediately by the USDA show we’re making thrilling progress following September’s profitable White Home Convention on Starvation, Diet, and Well being. Strengthening the WIC program and lowering disparities inside our current anti-hunger security web construct on the convention’s momentum and immediately mirror key targets inside the Administration’s new nationwide technique. Collectively, these adjustments will make a tangible distinction within the lives of low-income moms, infants, and kids in communities the place high quality meals is usually too costly or not obtainable.
“My honest thanks go to Secretary Vilsack and the Administration for guaranteeing everybody on this nation has entry to nutritious meals. This takes us one other step nearer in our combat to finish starvation and enhance the well being of each American.”
Home Schooling and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott
“The Meals and Diet Service’s (FNS) proposed rule makes vital enhancements to the Particular Diet Program for Ladies, Infants, and Kids (WIC). By advancing a science-based overview of the meals obtainable and increasing choices that align with dietary tips, extra households will be capable of entry the meals they should reside more healthy lives. These steps are significantly necessary contemplating the continued inequities in entry to nutritious meals and disproportionate impression of diet-related situations in low-income areas. At the moment’s announcement is additional proof that the Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to serving to each household put nutritious meals on the desk.”
Civil Rights and Human Providers Subcommittee Chairwoman Suzanne Bonamici
“At the moment’s replace to the WIC meals package deal is an important replace to reinforce wholesome meals entry a number of the most weak in our nation, together with infants and pregnant and nursing mothers.”
Senator Cory Booker
“It’s nice to see USDA’s new proposed rule improve WIC’s fruit and vegetable profit. The brand new WIC package deal will strengthen a program that’s confirmed to assist moms and infants flourish.”
Congressman Joaquin Castro
“I applaud USDA for its proposed updates to WIC, which is able to improve the dietary high quality of meals packages and improve assist for dietary wants & cultural preferences. These key adjustments will assist households throughout the nation lead more healthy lives.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski
“Since 2014, I’ve been advocating that extra low-mercury fish, like Alaska wild salmon, be included within the Particular Supplemental Diet Program for Ladies, Infants, and Kids (WIC) program. I’m happy that USDA’s proposed rule for updating WIC meals packages will just do that. As soon as this rule is remaining, mothers and younger youngsters throughout the nation will be capable of add extra wholesome Alaska wild salmon to their diets.”
Congresswoman Kim Schrier
“Final 12 months my bipartisan invoice was signed into regulation that enables WIC households to obtain increased advantages to buy vegatables and fruits through the pandemic. I am thrilled that USDA is making this variation everlasting. So many pregnant ladies and younger youngsters will profit!”
Former Agriculture Secretaries Dan Glickman and Ann Veneman
“The proposed rule launched by USDA on the WIC meals packages is a win for meals and vitamin safety for the over six million WIC individuals. With the rise within the general worth of the WIC profit and up to date meals packages that align with present vitamin science, together with the 2017 Nationwide Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medication suggestions and the 2020-2025 Dietary Pointers for People, these updates preserve WIC’s function as a powerful public well being vitamin program. We’re happy to see that these adjustments align with our coverage suggestions from our Strengthening Baby Diet Packages report launched earlier this 12 months.”
American Coronary heart Affiliation Govt Vice President of Advocacy Mark Schoeberl
“A nutritious diet is vital to selling correct growth, development and general well being. The WIC program performs a significant function in offering dietary assist to pregnant, postpartum and nursing ladies, and infants and younger youngsters. The American Coronary heart Affiliation strongly helps USDA’s efforts to replace the WIC meals package deal to mirror present vitamin science and improve entry to nutritious, culturally acceptable meals.”
American Academy of Pediatrics President Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, FAAP
“The American Academy of Pediatrics has lengthy championed the significance of the WIC program, which presents nutritious, wholesome meals for moms and infants. Pediatricians work together often with WIC and routinely refer sufferers to this system. WIC is efficient as a result of its meals packages are primarily based on what scientific consultants suggest to satisfy the dietary wants of pregnant and breastfeeding ladies and younger youngsters. We assist USDA’s efforts to maneuver ahead with a science-based course of to replace WIC meals packages and sit up for offering suggestions on the rule.”
American Public Well being Affiliation Govt Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD
“Guaranteeing that households have entry to ample vitamin is a key methodology to selling well being fairness and guaranteeing more healthy future generations. The WIC vitamin program is science-driven and addresses vitamin gaps confronted by weak households and kids – rising the worth of the WIC program would additional broaden its public well being attain and is a change totally supported by the American Public Well being Affiliation.”
Academy of Diet and Dietetics President Ellen R. Shanley
“Rising entry to healthful meals is an crucial step to reaching well being fairness. Serving tens of millions of individuals on daily basis, WIC improves well being outcomes for pregnant moms, infants and kids. So it’s important that the WIC meals packages comprise necessary vitamins and enhance food plan high quality whereas additionally being conscious of individuals’s cultural preferences and customs. The adjustments introduced immediately will present welcome developments in every of those areas.”
Affiliation of Maternal and Baby Well being Packages CEO Terrance E. Moore
“Entry to recent vegatables and fruits is vital to the well being and wellbeing of pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding people, as they want substantial quantities of vitamins to assist each their very own well being and the well being of their creating child […] By establishing a everlasting improve to fruit and vegetable advantages for WIC individuals, the USDA can considerably tackle disparities in well being fairness by offering all households the chance to realize a wholesome dietary standing throughout being pregnant and the vital first 12 months postpartum.”
Bread for the World President and CEO Rev. Eugene Cho
“Making the WIC ‘fruit and vegetable bump’ everlasting will improve households’ entry to vitamin at a time when meals costs proceed to rise. The 1,000 days between being pregnant and a baby’s second birthday is essentially the most vital interval of their growth. Kids who lack good vitamin throughout this time are considerably extra prone to expertise lifelong well being issues, together with bodily and mental delays. A everlasting fruit and vegetable bump will guarantee tens of millions of kids obtain the vitamin they should thrive.”
Middle on Funds and Coverage Priorities President Sharon Parrott
“The proposed adjustments, really helpful by the Nationwide Academies, place WIC to strengthen its confirmed report of bettering beginning outcomes, diets, and growth and assist scale back racial disparities in maternal and little one well being outcomes. We’ll proceed to work to ensure low-income households get and keep related to WIC to assist them keep wholesome and thrive.”
Middle for Science within the Public Curiosity Govt Director and President Dr. Peter Lurie
“We commend the USDA for proposing an replace to the WIC meals package deal that’s achievable and science-based. It would make sure that ladies, infants, and kids collaborating in this system get the vitamin they want, significantly with a rise in fruit and vegetable advantages and strengthening key vitamin requirements, whereas honoring meals decisions and cultural preferences.”
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Senior Director Rev. Amy Reumann
“The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America acknowledges that households want entry to enough and nutritious meals to thrive. As a society, we should dismantle the limitations to well being that stand in the best way of every particular person reaching their potential. This mission is immediately supported by the Ladies, Infants, and Kids (WIC) program in its function to assist and promote maternal and little one vitamin. The proposed WIC meals package deal rule accommodates important enhancements which are very important to making sure a wholesome begin for all youngsters, irrespective of their financial standing.”
Feeding America Chief Authorities Relations Officer Vince Corridor
“For almost fifty years, WIC has labored to place meals on the desk for households and guarantee youngsters have entry to the nutritious meals they should develop and thrive. The Feeding America community has lengthy partnered with WIC suppliers to strengthen meals safety in communities throughout the nation. USDA is now delivering on a key dedication included within the Nationwide Technique by working to broaden entry to wholesome meals in long-overdue updates to the WIC meals packages. Coupled with new investments in WIC program modernization, we’re inspired {that a} stronger and extra strong WIC program can proceed to scale back starvation and enhance well being outcomes for the subsequent era.”
Meals Analysis and Motion Middle
“The Meals Analysis & Motion Middle (FRAC) commends the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) for immediately’s announcement of the proposed meals package deal for the Particular Supplemental Diet Program for Ladies, Infants, and Kids (WIC), which is able to go a good distance in making this vital program even more healthy, extra accessible, and simpler to make use of.
The proposed WIC meals package deal will construct on the White Home “Nationwide Technique on Starvation, Diet, and Well being” to modernize WIC by supporting the elevated worth of WIC’s fruit and vegetable profit, permitting extra flexibility in meals package deal sizes, rising accessibility to culturally related meals choices, and fastening alignment with the 2020–2025 Dietary Pointers for People.
This package deal is a step in the fitting path towards rising program participation, bettering WIC individuals’ well being outcomes, addressing well being inequities, and in the end, serving to finish starvation on this nation.”
Hennepin County Medical Middle Chair of Pediatrics and Co-Lead Principal Investigator for Kids’s Well being Watch Dr. Diana Cutts
“I see the facility of WIC to advertise well being in my clinic on daily basis. Boosting advantages for vegatables and fruits in WIC has a profound impression on a household’s means to supply their little one all kinds of meals, that are vital for establishing a powerful basis of wholesome consuming.”
Indigenous Meals and Agriculture Initiative Govt Director Erin Parker
“WIC’s focused vitamin assist is especially essential for strengthening being pregnant and beginning outcomes in Indigenous communities. WIC meals packages’ inclusion of extra fruits, greens, seafood and complete grains furthers the closing of disparities in entry to wholesome meals whereas respecting cultural consuming patterns and tribal customs. With greater than thirty tribes and intertribal councils immediately administering WIC providers, strong WIC advantages translate to more healthy outcomes and return cash to native companies and farm economies in Indian Nation.”
Leslie, a mom of three collaborating in Arkansas WIC
“The rise for buying vegatables and fruits has been so useful! My two-year-old has had the prospect to strive new vegatables and fruits that I might not have been in a position to buy for her in any other case. She loves attempting new meals and I like getting to offer her wholesome choices.”
March of Dimes Senior Vice President for Public Coverage and Authorities Affairs Stacey Brayboy
“As a corporation main the combat for the well being of all mothers and infants, March of Dimes applauds the Biden Administration and the U.S. Division of Agriculture (USDA) for its proposed rule revising the Supplemental Diet Program for Ladies, Infants, and Kids (WIC) program in an effort to succeed in extra pregnant and postpartum ladies, and their infants. As preterm beginning charges proceed to rise within the U.S., the nation wants management to make sure that anticipating mothers are supported all through their whole being pregnant, together with entry to wholesome meals, particularly for households in underserved communities. This proposed rule will assist tackle this disaster by rising entry to wholesome meals for pregnant ladies and their households.”
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Starvation President and CEO Abby J. Leibman
“The Biden-Harris Administration clearly understands the effectiveness of federal vitamin help applications like WIC, which supplies vital assist to tens of millions of households across the nation. USDA’s proposed adjustments construct on the longstanding success of WIC, promising to enhance and strengthen this system in some vital methods. We’re significantly happy to see the proposals to completely improve the worth of the WIC profit that can allow more healthy meals purchases, align the elevated worth with science-based suggestions, improve the WIC purchasing expertise, and assist the completely different wants of the varied WIC inhabitants with a higher vary of culturally and religiously-appropriate meals choices. In gentle of the latest White Home Convention on Starvation, Diet, and Well being, it’s clear that charity alone can’t finish starvation — we should strengthen our nation’s security web and advance daring options to enhance the techniques that permit starvation to persist.”
MomsRising Govt Director and CEO Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
“Hundreds of thousands of mothers and households are battling the excessive value of groceries and different requirements,” stated MomsRising Govt Director and CEO Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. “Mothers assist the brand new proposed rule as a result of it is going to – in the end – improve the worth of the WIC profit and incentivize and assist the acquisition of wholesome meals. Mothers welcome the pliability to maximise selection and selection so we will buy the meals that our households need and wish most. In flip, these adjustments would supply a major and great addition for our kids’s well being. Nothing is extra necessary than ending starvation and meals insecurity and maintaining children and households wholesome.”
Nationwide WIC Affiliation President and CEO Dr. Jamila Taylor, PhD
“USDA’s motion immediately to revise the WIC meals packages underlines what the White Home made clear of their Nationwide Technique: WIC will play a vital function in constructing a more healthy future for households. WIC’s focused vitamin intervention is already confirmed to scale back healthcare prices, shut nutrient consumption disparities, and enhance well being outcomes for low-income households and communities of shade. The proposed revisions will construct on this robust report of public well being success by following impartial, evidence-based suggestions from the Nationwide Academies. We applaud USDA’s considerate steps to strengthen WIC by enhancing the worth of advantages for underconsumed meals teams like vegatables and fruits, strengthening vitamin requirements to enhance complete grain consumption and reduce consumption of added sugars and saturated fat, and increasing wholesome decisions by package deal measurement flexibility and inclusion of a broader vary of cultural meals.”
Nationwide Indian and Native American WIC Coalition Chair Cheri Nemec
“Vegetables and fruit have been staple within the conventional diets of Native People. The elevated money worth profit has given households the chance to carry extra vegatables and fruits into the house, particularly as entry to reasonably priced vegatables and fruits is a problem in rural tribal communities. This helps our Indigenous households present extra meals from these conventional diets that promote good well being. With an excellent stronger meals package deal, WIC can have an extra attain to make sure households have the meals and complementary vitamin training on how one can put together nutritious meals that highlights and respects the meals of their ancestors.”
NETWORK Foyer Govt Director Mary J. Novak
“Our Catholic religion holds that youngsters are a blessing and a present from God. As such, particular care should be taken to make sure that youngsters and their households have what is important to reside wholesome lives together with combating illness attributable to low-quality meals. NETWORK welcomes the Biden Administration’s newly proposed WIC regulation to extend the greenback quantity of the money voucher and replace meals tips in keeping with the science permitting a greater diversity of meals, together with greens, fruits, and complete grains. This regulation is grounded in the most effective of our values. Because it serves greater than 6.2 million individuals, moms and their infants, and younger youngsters, it is going to have a transformative impression on numerous lives each within the quick and long run. As individuals of religion we are saying, Amen.”
Oklahoma State Division of Well being’s Jennifer Ortiz, MS, RD, LD
“Oklahoma WIC is proud to offer nutritious supplemental meals and vitamin training to households throughout our state. We’re happy that USDA is shifting to replace the meals packages we offer to households in a fashion in keeping with the most recent science. Particularly, the enlargement of the Money Worth Profit for vegatables and fruits has been tremendously useful for the meals safety and promotion of well being for our households over the previous 17 months. We’re excited that USDA acknowledges the profound impression of this improve and can make this variation everlasting. Moreover, Oklahoma WIC has lengthy prioritized the availability of complete grain cereals to individuals as consumption of complete grains is prioritized by the Dietary Pointers and related to diminished threat of a myriad of persistent illnesses. We welcome USDA’s steps to align each WIC program in offering complete grain-rich cereals so that each one WIC individuals could take pleasure in the advantages of elevated complete grain consumption.”
Salud America! Nationwide Latino Well being Fairness Program at UT Well being San Antonio Director Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez
“WIC stays one of many nation’s most profitable, cost-effective public well being vitamin applications. WIC individuals, together with those that are Hispanic/Latino, usually tend to have a extra nutritious food plan and higher well being outcomes, with participation tied to fewer toddler deaths, fewer untimely births, elevated beginning weights, and decrease well being care prices, based on analysis.”
Share Our Power Senior Vice President Lisa Davis
“The WIC Money Worth Profit permits households to buy recent vegatables and fruits their rising youngsters want, offering flexibility to purchase these which are culturally related and their children will eat and luxuriate in. Completely rising this necessary and valued profit will be certain that households have much more entry to recent vegatables and fruits; it additionally helps native farmers and meals distributors, resulting in stronger native economies.”
Texas Affiliation of Native WIC Administrators Benny Jasso
“As vitamin professionals, we see the consequences of meals insecurity in households that can’t afford nutritious meals. The brand new WIC meals package deal permits households extra flexibility to make sound meals decisions based on the household well being wants, tradition, and preferences. The elevated entry to fruits, greens, complete grains, protein, and dairy choices will assist the vitamin messaging in public well being vitamin to handle the well being disparities in our communities by eradicating limitations which may make sustaining good well being tough.”
Tufts College’s Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, Dean for Coverage and Jean Mayer Professor of Diet on the Friedman College of Diet Science and Coverage and Co-Chair of the Activity Pressure on Starvation, Diet, and Well being
“WIC is a cornerstone of American well being coverage, the place science-based vitamin requirements and public well being programming meet to offer moms and kids with vital entry to the wholesome meals they should develop and thrive. I applaud the Administration for advancing its Nationwide Technique dedication to make significant enhancements to WIC, rising vitamin safety for American households and permitting our nation to construct a stronger, more healthy future.”
UnidosUS Senior Vice President of Coverage and Advocacy Eric Rodriguez
“As it has prior to now, if adopted, the proposed package deal will advance well being fairness because it brings more healthy meals choices to many lower-income, Latino neighborhoods all through the nation. By giving Latino households improved entry to reasonably priced fruits, vegetable, and complete grains, USDA’s proposed requirements will decrease charges of illnesses like diabetes, coronary heart illness, and weight problems that disproportionately hurt low-income Hispanic households, primarily due to limitations they face to accessing wholesome and reasonably priced meals.”
U.S. Breastfeeding Committee Govt Director Nikia Sankofa
“The WIC program contains a vital piece of the nationwide infrastructure supporting toddler and younger little one vitamin safety. The WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor program and different WIC breastfeeding promotion and training sources function a vital lifeline for tens of millions of households who wish to breastfeed. WIC is an apparent and efficient conduit for advancing lactation and different science-based vitamin requirements outlined within the Dietary Pointers for People.”
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