The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental food, nutrition education, and referrals to health care providers and other social service agencies to low-income and nutritionally at-risk women, infants, and children up to age 5 years. Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, WIC has an annual budget of $6 billion and served more than 6 million people monthly in fiscal year 2022. USDA’s Economic Research Service periodically reports research findings related to WIC policy and program operations, often after major changes have been made to the program’s design. This 2024 report describes how WIC works, discusses trends in the program, and summarizes research findings on key economic outcomes and policy issues facing the program. The report also outlines temporary changes to WIC in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and disruptions to the infant formula supply chain that occurred in 2022.
How to cite:
Hodges, L., Toossi, S., Todd, J. E., & Ryan-Claytor, C. (2024). Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2024 Edition (Report No. EIB-267). United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. https://doi.org/10.32747/2024.8254669.ers
keyword: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, WIC, food and health, economic conditions, infant formula supply chain disruptions, program modernization, coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic
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