The USDA, FDA, and other federal partners continue to work diligently to protect the health infants who are fed using infant formula.
This letter provides WIC state agencies the opportunity to opt into waivers to modernize WIC through building or enhancing remote services.
On Nov. 8, 2022, FNS published WIC Policy Memorandum #2023-1 Abbott Infant Formula Waiver Expiration Schedule which extended active waivers to Jan. 31, 2023, or 60 days after the end of the Presidentially-declared COVID-19 major disaster declaration in the affected area, whichever is sooner. However, FNS recognizes that WIC state agencies may need additional flexibility to ensure uninterrupted access to infant formula for WIC families even as WIC state agencies transition back to normal operations. The intent of this policy memorandum is to formally describe the timeline for this transition, as previously described in the Dec. 19, 2022 letter to state agencies.
Letter to WIC state agencies on unwinding and impacts of infant formula shortage.
This letter extends the expiration date for certain flexibilities for WIC state agencies following the Abbott Recall and infant formula shortage.
FNS is offering a suite of operational flexibilities that will be available to child nutrition programs for summer 2022 and school year 2022-23.
Abbott recently announced it will continue providing a rebate on competitive infant formulas redeemed prior to Nov. 30, 2022. Since your WIC state agency holds an infant formula rebate contract with Mead Johnson-Reckitt or Nestle Gerber, this information is shared for your awareness.
This letter extends the expiration date for certain flexibilities for WIC state agencies following the Abbott Recall and infant formula shortage.
FNS is offering this comparison table to assist state agencies and program operators as they transition from school year (SY) 2021-22 operations under COVID-19 nationwide waivers and flexibilities to operations designed around their own unique circumstances for SY 2022-23.
This letter is in response to correspondence from WIC state agencies requesting flexibility with regard to the maximum monthly allowance (MMA) requirements in WIC as a result of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Abbott recall of certain powder infant formula on the nationwide supply chain leading to both periodic location and product-based WIC infant formula shortages.