This final rule amends a number of existing provisions in the WIC program regulations to address issues raised by WIC state agencies, other members of the WIC community, and the US Government Accountability Office. This final rule also incorporates recent legislation and certain longstanding program policies and state agency practices into the regulations. Further, the final rule also streamlines certain requirements in the regulations.
This rule implements a provision of the Act that increases the minimum State Administrative Expense grant for each state administering the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and/or the Special Milk Program from $100,000 to $200,000 a year, adjusted by an index beginning in FY 2009.
This proposed rule would revise regulations governing the WIC food packages to align the WIC food packages with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and current infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics, better promote and support the establishment of successful long-term breastfeeding, provide WIC participants with a wider variety of food, provide WIC state agencies with greater flexibility in prescribing food packages to accommodate participants with cultural food preferences, and serve participants with certain qualifying conditions under one food package to facilitate efficient management of medically fragile participants.
This rule proposes to amend regulations for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children by adding three requirements mandated by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 concerning retail vendors authorized by WIC state agencies to provide supplemental food to WIC participants in exchange for WIC food instruments.
The Department announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by state agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate in the WIC program. These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the WIC regulations.