On Tuesday, a significant announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent ripples through our dairy industry. The USDA has finalized changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, more commonly known as WIC. This federal program provides invaluable support to those it serves, yet the breaking news indicates a pivotal shift – a reduction in the amount of milk allocated to participants.
“To the dismay of numerous stakeholders in our dairy sector, these updates to the WIC program shed a spotlight on a trend of cutbacks in milk provisions, paving a critical pathway for an in-depth look into the repercussions of such policy decisions.”
During the fiscal year of 2023, participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) spiked to approximately 6.6 million mothers and children. The program, known for offering its beneficiaries the ability to purchase a range of foods based on their age and nutritional requirements, has recently announced some significant changes, set to go into effect within two years.
While these alterations aim to enhance the support for families purchasing fruits and vegetables, they conversely reduce the amount of financial aid provided for the purchase of milk. Moving forward, the updated WIC program will provide merely 3 gallons of milk per month for toddlers, a reduction from the initial allotment of 4 gallons. Similarly, the supply for children ages 2 to 4 has been reduced to 3.5 gallons from 4 gallons. Mothers who are entirely breastfeeding will now receive only 4 gallons every month, a cut from their previously set monthly maximum of 6 gallons.
A silver lining to these regulatory shifts is that lactose-free milk can now be purchased using the funds allocated through the program. The WIC program will also increase the range of options available to beneficiaries for purchasing yogurt and cheese products, provided in various package sizes. However, the new rule also permits the use of WIC dollars to buy plant-based alternatives, not as nutrient-dense as dairy milk.
The news has sparked responses from several dairy organizations, including the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). “NMPF is unsettled by the decision to reduce access to the essential nutrients dairy adds to the diet,” said Gregg Doud, NMPF President and CEO.
According to a New York Times article, the USDA defended its reform by stating that the previous milk allocation was a massive 128% of the daily amount required by nutrition guidelines. The new amount now aligns to 71% to 96% of the recommended intake, based on these guidelines.
A poll by IDFA among WIC participants revealed that 35% would need to dip into their pockets to cover the cost of milk and dairy purchases due to these cuts. A further 33% of respondents expressed beliefs that the cuts will make shopping for milk and dairy items more challenging. Dairy producers are alarmed by these results – nutritious dairy products should be easy to access, not the reverse.
“In this era of escalating food costs, it’s crucial to shift focus on broadening access to a diverse variety of healthy, nutrient-dense, and affordable foods, including dairy products,” stated Doud. “It’s disheartening to see the final rule constraining WIC families’ purchasing power for nutritious dairy foods.”
