An estimated 2 million parents and young children could be turned away from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as the program faces an anticipated $1 billion shortfall in 2024, according to a new analysis released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
More than two months into fiscal year 2024, the federal government has been operating on a series of stopgap funding extensions by extending WIC at current funding levels. So far, Congress has failed to provide the additional funding WIC-supporters and the Biden administration say is needed to avoid turning families away.
Congress has until Jan. 19 to make its next decision on WIC funding levels as part of the agricultural appropriations package.
Ty Jones Cox, CBPP vice president for food assistance policy, said WIC funding needs have grown due to higher food costs and because more eligible low-income families are participating. USDA has tried to encourage participation as a recent report from USDA indicates only half of those eligible for WIC are enrolled in the program.
Cox said CBPP estimates that a shortfall would force states to reduce spending, primarily by putting eligible people on a waitlist when they apply for WIC or try to renew benefits. The reduction in the state’s caseload and corresponding reduction in spending would accumulate slowly, and more people would be turned away over time.
CBPP estimates by July, WIC would be able to serve about 1.5 million fewer people nationwide. By September this number would grow to roughly 2 million people, a 28% cut in the number of young children, pregnant and postpartum adults participating.
USDA can transfer funds from other USDA nutrition programs to shore up WIC. However, CBPP said this authority is limited and could only close roughly half of the $1 billion shortfall.
Paul Throne, director of the Office of Nutrition Services in Washington state, said what Congress determines for WIC funding levels going forward will have an enormous impact on the ground for states attempting to meet their anticipated demand.
Throne said between January 2022 until August 2023, Washington saw a 9.6% increase in WIC participation, mirroring an increase in WIC participation nationwide.
“Despite our efficient spending, I anticipate that we will exhaust all of our funds on hand to serve our protected projected caseload in the coming year without additional support to ensure the long-term stability of the program,” he said.
Each of the continuing resolutions in recent months created stress at the state level, Throne said. “If we have another CR in January, we’ll be in the same situation we are in now. We’re still looking at rising caseloads, rising food prices and more people spending more of the benefit they get, which means the pinch is getting tighter every time we wait to see what the future holds for us.”
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If WIC is funded at 2003 levels or even an incremental increase, Throne said his ability to pay for food in the approved WIC package would diminish. He explained a year ago he was comfortable with his state’s ability to pay for the food that people use. That is no longer the case as he anticipates sometime in the coming year the state will need more funds to pay for the food in the program.
“I know that there are some states that are already asking for additional money and have been for some time. So, for my state, we see the problem coming,” Throne said.
Dr. Sandy Chung, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said she is alarmed by the new estimate of 2 million infants and children who may lose their benefits.
Chung said participation is shown to reduce preterm births, increase the likelihood of healthy birth weights, reduce obesity in young children and reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. She said evidence is growing that shows how WIC reduces pregnancy-related health risks, has increased breastfeeding initiation rates by 30%, and more than doubled the rate of WIC mothers who continue to breastfeed their babies at 12 months of age.
“If WIC had to institute waitlists or cut back on benefits or programming, my patients would suffer,” Chung said.
This summer the House proposed to reduce the WIC monthly fruit and vegetable benefit from $25 to $11 for 1- to 4-year-olds (a 56% reduction), from $44 to $13 for pregnant and postpartum participants (a 70% reduction), and from $49 to $15 for breastfeeding participants (a 69% reduction).
Throne said the fruit and vegetable benefit along with infant formula is the “single most popular part” of WIC’s food package. Throne and Chung reiterated the important role of fruit and vegetables in the overall food basket to offer participants’ access to healthy, nutritious foods.
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