FNS Documents & Resources

This interim rule amends the regulations governing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children to strengthen vendor cost containment.

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance on the vendor-related WIC provision reflected in PL 109-97, which provides WIC funding for FY 2006.

This proposed rule would amend the regulations governing the WIC program to clarify issues that have arisen subsequent to the publication of the WIC Food Delivery Systems Final Rule on Dec. 29, 2000, and to strengthen further the requirements for state vendor management and infant formula cost-containment systems.

These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the WIC regulations.

This policy memorandum clarifies and updates current policy on price adjustments, vendor, participant, and local agency collections, fines, civil money penalties, and program income to reflect amendments to WIC program legislation and regulations since the issuance of WIC Policy Memorandum #96-3.

This final rule strengthens vendor management in retail food delivery systems by establishing mandatory selection criteria, training requirements, criteria to be used to identify high-risk vendors, and monitoring requirements, including compliance investigations. In addition, the rule strengthens food instrument accountability and sanctions for participants who violate program requirements.

This final rule amends the regulations governing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children to clarify one of the provisions required by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. 

This final rule amends the WIC program regulations to incorporate two nondiscretionary funding provisions mandated by the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000.

The interim rule and this final rule implement three legislative requirements that affect the application and certification process for the WIC program.

The provisions in this interim rule include elimination of the following provisions: required provision of written information on certain other assistance programs; state agency timeframes for action on local agency applications for participation in the WIC program; annual evaluation of nutrition education and breastfeeding promotion efforts; and annual submission of a state plan.