FNS Documents & Resources

This rulemaking proposes to revise regulations governing the WIC food packages to align them with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and reflect recommendations made by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in its 2017 report, “Review of WIC Food Packages: Improving Balance and Choice. while promoting nutrition security and equity and taking into account program administration considerations.

The WIC Food Cost-Containment Practices Study describes the voluntarily approaches state agencies used in 2018 to reduce food costs when selecting and authorizing WIC foods. This study is the second of its kind; the first was conducted by the USDA Economic Research Service in 2003. This report examines how six types of food cost-containment practices are associated with food costs and WIC participant satisfaction, benefit redemption, and food consumption in 12 state agencies. 

This letter extends the expiration date for certain flexibilities for WIC state agencies following the Abbott Recall and infant formula shortage. 

USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve our program participants across our 15 nutrition programs. We have already begun to issue waivers to ease program operations and protect the health of participants.

This document standardizes the functional requirements for the Universal Interface between the WIC Management Information Systems and the WIC EBT systems used in the WIC nutrition program.

On Nov. 1, 2022, FNS held a celebration and briefing of the ARPA funded WIC and FMNP outreach, innovation and modernization efforts.

FNS encourages WIC state agencies to work collaboratively with the vendor community to identify how state agency vendor selection and/or limiting criteria, application periods or policies, WIC authorized food lists, technology requirements, and participant access criteria may impact vendor participation in the WIC program.

USDA intends to use all available program flexibilities and contingencies to serve our program participants across our 15 nutrition programs. We have already begun to issue waivers to ease program operations and protect the health of participants.

USDA is strengthening and modernizing WIC to connect more eligible families with benefits and provide them the best experience throughout their time in the program.