~~ recommended by emil karpo ~~
For 30 years, Presidents and members of Congress from both parties have adhered to a bipartisan commitment to provide enough funding for the WIC program — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — so that all eligible families who apply receive full food benefits. Congress reaffirmed this commitment in November 2025 when it fully funded WIC for fiscal year 2026 in appropriations legislation. Yet for the second year in a row, President Trump’s fiscal year 2027 budget calls for sharply reducing the fruit and vegetable component of WIC’s food benefits for new and expecting parents and young children. We estimate the proposed cut would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from about 5.4 million parents and young children. As a result, the proposed WIC funding level would be insufficient to provide all anticipated participants with full benefits. Congress rejected last year’s proposed cut on a bipartisan basis in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations law that funds WIC. Members of Congress should do the same again this year in the fiscal year 2027 appropriations law and continue their 30-year bipartisan commitment to fully funding WIC. Congress rejected last year’s proposed cut on a bipartisan basis in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations law that funds WIC. Members of Congress should do the same again this year in the fiscal year 2027 appropriations law and continue their 30-year bipartisan commitment to fully funding WIC.WIC provides nutritious foods, counseling on healthy eating, breastfeeding support, and health care referrals to almost 7 million low-income expecting and postpartum people, infants, and young children at nutritional risk. WIC provides specific foods chosen through a rigorous, science-based process — including whole grain bread, baby food, infant formula, and milk — and cash value benefits that can be used only to buy fruits and vegetables. Extensive research over the last few decades shows that WIC participation contributes to healthier births and more nutritious diets, among other positive outcomes. Under the President’s proposal to severely reduce the fruit and vegetable benefit, nearly 5.4 million participants would face cuts of 62 percent to 75 percent compared to current levels, depending on the participant category. The proposal would:
The President’s proposal turns away from recent bipartisan policy action to increase WIC benefits. In 2021, Congress on a bipartisan basis increased the fruit and vegetable benefit amount for all participants except infants, consistent with earlier recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. In fiscal year 2026, children receive $26 monthly for fruits and vegetables, pregnant and postpartum participants receive $48, and breastfeeding participants receive $52. Increases to the fruit and vegetable benefit are popular among WIC participants, and research shows that participants are purchasing significantly more fruits and vegetables with the expanded benefit. But even with the increase, WIC aims to provide only half of children’s recommended fruit and vegetable intake. A deep cut to the fruit and vegetable benefit would undermine the scientific basis of WIC’s healthy food package and make it much more difficult for children in low-income families to access the critical nutrients they need to thrive. The table below shows how many children ages 1-4 and pregnant and postpartum adults in each state and territory could have their benefits slashed in 2027 if Congress doesn’t reject the President's budget proposal. The table also shows the total reduction in WIC benefits available in each state and territory to spend on fruits and vegetables in local grocery stores under the proposal. The President’s proposed cut would directly undermine the Administration’s stated goal of improving children’s health and reducing childhood chronic disease. Depriving young children of essential nutrients during a critical developmental window could have negative long-term health consequences. Research shows that adequate fruit and vegetable consumption helps improve health and prevent chronic disease. The President’s proposal also runs counter to his promise to lower families’ food costs. If WIC benefits are cut, families with young children and low incomes will have to spend more on groceries to provide their children with the same amount of fruits and vegetables. To reduce strain on families’ food budgets and ensure children get the healthy food they need, lawmakers need to reject this cut and provide enough funding in the 2027 appropriations law so that all eligible families who apply can continue to receive WIC’s full nutrition benefits. In addition, policymakers must monitor food costs and participation to ensure full funding for the program in 2027. Tariff policies and the impact of the war in the Middle East make food inflation harder to predict than usual and could cause spikes in food costs, which are sensitive to oil prices. Meanwhile, unprecedented cuts to SNAP and Medicaid in last year’s reconciliation law, combined with higher food prices and the possibility of a weakening labor market, could lead more eligible families to seek benefits as they struggle to put food on the table. However, the deep cuts to SNAP and Medicaid could also result in fewer eligible families receiving WIC benefits, as low-income families losing SNAP and Medicaid will also lose streamlined enrollment in WIC.
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