Through ARPA, USDA received waiver authority to support WIC and FMNP outreach, innovation, and modernization. Waivers are currently available to support WIC online shopping and ARPA funded projects.
This letter provides information to WIC state agencies and WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program state agencies on available American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 waivers and a new state agency request process.
WIC staff should reflect the diversity and rich cultural experiences of WIC families. FNS has invested $31.5 million into a 5-year Inter-Agency Agreement with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to support the WIC workforce.
To make sure that eligible families know about WIC and the benefits it provides, FNS is investing in outreach.
Since FY 2022, FNS has awarded over $9 million in grants to 37 State agencies to support WIC FMNP eSolutions.
We want WIC families to be able to shop simply and conveniently, just like other shoppers. FNS is supporting WIC state agencies as they modernize the shopping experience in store, online, and at farmers markets, through both funding and waivers.
Enrolling in and sticking with WIC helps families get the nutrition and healthcare they need to build a healthier future. FNS is working with state and federal partners to make the WIC journey, from start to finish, a smoother, more fulfilling experience for all participants by modernizing technology and service delivery.
As part of the WIC innovation and modernization efforts to be funded under ARPA, FNS is supporting planning and implementation projects focused on enhancements that improve the WIC participant experience, as evidenced by enhancing the WIC shopping experience, increasing participant enrollment, reducing unnecessary administrative burden for both participants and administrators, including through data matching to streamline enrollment, and retaining eligible participants while improving equity
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will discontinue the requirement for vendors to use high security seals to secure USDA Foods deliveries as of July 1, 2023.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided USDA with $390 million, available through FY 2024, to carry out outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits for both the WIC program and the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.