Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Revisions in the WIC Food Packages Rule To Increase Cash Value Vouchers for Women

This rule increases the amount of cash value vouchers from $8.00 to $10.00 issued to pregnant, postpartum and partially breastfeeding women participants for the purchase of fruits and vegetables as part of the WIC food packages. In the "WIC Food Package" interim rule published December 6, 2007, the Department was not able to provide all women participants fruit and vegetable cash value vouchers at the level recommended by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine (IOM). To be cost neutral, only fully breastfeeding women were provided the IOM recommended amount of $10.00 per month fruit and vegetable cash value vouchers; all other women participants were provided $8.00 per month fruit and vegetable cash value vouchers. This rule amends the interim rule to provide all Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) women participants with $10.00 per month fruit and vegetable cash value vouchers, consistent with IOM's recommendations. The Fiscal Year 2010 Agriculture Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 111-80), enacted on October 21, 2009, provides the funding for this increase.