FMI Applauds WIC Final Rule Boosting Fruit and Veg Benefits

FMI is committed to strengthening WIC in a way that aligns with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and provides WIC customers with greater choice and convenience to make the purchasing decisions that best meet their needs.

FMI – The Food Industry Association has approved of the provisions in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) final rule increasing fruits and vegetables and updating package sizes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

“As private-sector partners with the federal government serving as points of redemption for WIC participants, FMI and its grocery members are committed to strengthening the program in a way that aligns with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and provides WIC customers with greater choice and convenience to make the purchasing decisions that best meet their individual and family needs,” noted Jennifer Hatcher, chief public policy officer and SVP, government and member relations at Arlington, Va.-based FMI, in reaction to the provisions.

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“We applaud USDA’s commitment to permanently increasing the monthly cash-value voucher/benefit (CVV/B) amounts for fruit and vegetable purchases in the WIC program to reflect 50% of the Dietary Guidelines’ recommended fruit and vegetable intake for mothers and children,” continued Hatcher. “We also appreciate USDA’s approval of new substitution patterns and package size flexibility, which will improve participant access to and utilization of WIC foods. We expect both rule changes will result in measurable benefits for mothers and young children.”

Concluded Hatcher, “We are glad USDA accepted the recommendations we made in our comments as part of the rulemaking process to make these two updates, and we look forward to working with them and state agencies to implement these changes to ensure all mothers and children served by the WIC program will be able to secure the nutritious foods they need to thrive.”

Last year, in response to the USDA’s proposed rule on revisions to WIC food packages, the National Grocers Association offered improvements to help boost retailer participation as well as food access for WIC recipients. These improvements were the creation of an essential foods package with reasonable stocking requirements and an optional foods package with foods that are encouraged and allowed to be sold but do not have stringent stocking requirements, and for WIC vendors operating during severe supply shortages, disasters or public-health emergency areas to be able to substitute certain WIC-authorized items that are unavailable immediately.