The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a Federal assistance program of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for healthcare and nutrition of low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and infants and children under the age of five. The eligibility requirement is a family income below 185% of the U.S. Poverty Income Guidelines. If a person who participates in other benefit programs, or has family members participate in the Food Stamp Program, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, they automatically meet the eligibility requirements. This program is unrelated to the USDA's "Food Stamp" program. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children was created by a 1972 bill that Senator Humphrey (D) of Minnesota introduced. It was made permanent in 1975. USDA’s revamping of this program would provide more foods that include: iron-fortified infant formula and infant cereal, iron-fortified adult cereal, vitamin C-rich fruit or vegetable juice, eggs, milk, cheese, peanut butter, dried beans/peas, tuna and carrots to the diet while cutting back on the amount of dairy products. USDA has proposed these changes to reflect updates to the food pyramid introduced 2005. Dairy interests in Washington, D.C. both producers and manufacturers, have vowed to rally their constituencies to register displeasure during the public comment period in October 2006.[1] WIC participants often receive a monthly check or voucher. In many poor areas, "WIC stores" exist that only sell food for vouchers issued by the state WIC program, and do not accept any other form of payment. These stores charge the maximum permitted under the program, charging up to 16% more than regular stores for the same food. [2]
External links
- WIC. Food and Nutrition Service. Retrieved on November 23, 2005.
