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WIC Fruit and Vegetable Study

Evaluating the impacts of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Cash Value Benefit (CVB) changes during the pandemic on WIC staff and participants.

Project Description

The Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition was funded by Healthy Eating Research, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation national program, as part of the 2021 Special Solicitation on COVID-19 and Socioeconomic Recovery Efforts to conduct a study exploring how the policy changes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) cash value benefit (CVB), or fruit and vegetable money, during the pandemic impacted the WIC program and child access to fruits and vegetables.  

From October 2022 to February 2023, GSCN interviewed WIC State and local agency staff and caregivers of WIC participants from across the country. WIC staff included those from Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs), U.S. territories, rural local agencies, and large urban local agencies. Similarly, interviews with caregivers of WIC participants included representation across several racial and ethnic groups from both rural and urban areas. WIC State redemption data also was analyzed to determine if the CVB changes increased access to fruits and vegetables among child participants. 

 Our Findings

 

Impacts on WIC Agencies

  • WIC agency staff reported time constraints, staffing challenges, and limited available technology resources as barriers to CVB implementation. 

  • The uncertainty of the policy changes made it difficult for WIC agencies to prepare for CVB implementation. 

  • Collaboration between WIC agency staff, vendors, and local organizations was a key factor of successful CVB implementation. 

Impacts on Child Food Access

  • Redemption data showed that participants redeemed over $1 million more with the higher CVB; however, redemption rates differed by race and ethnicity. 

  • Participants expressed higher satisfaction with the $35/child/month CVB compared to the $9/child/month amount. 

  • Participants stated that they could afford a healthier diet, increase their variety of fruits and vegetables, and serve more fruits and vegetables at $35/child/month.  

 Considerations for Future CVB Policy Changes

  • Reinstate the higher CVB amount of $35/child/month and adjust annually for inflation. ​ 

  • Establish minimum lead time requirements for WIC State and local agencies to implement CVB changes. ​ 

  • Ensure equitable resource allocation to support WIC agencies with CVB updates, including funding for staff training, system upgrades, and the creation of educational materials for WIC participants.  

  • Implement feedback mechanisms between federal and WIC State and local agencies to identify ways to increase CVB implementation success.   

Resources

 
Child's hand reaching for strawberries on a countertop.