(LibertySons.org) – The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a vital program that supports families in need with children under five and pregnant women. Unlike SNAP, which serves anyone of any age who qualifies and allows them to choose from a variety of foods, WIC programs across the country are very specific regarding what recipients can purchase, sometimes down to specific brands of foods. One important product that’s loaded with nutrients is milk, but the new guidelines and restrictions have reduced the amount families can purchase per month. One congresswoman is now fighting to have those restrictions reversed.
The WIC program has seven Food Packages that are differentiated by the age of the child or by the status of the pregnant or nursing mother. Each level has different types and amounts of milk available. The new guidelines have reduced the amount of milk per participant — by up to three gallons per month.
Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) says this is a bad idea, especially when, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 90% of people aren’t meeting the daily minimums. She has introduced legislation titled the Protecting Mothers and Infants’ Access to Milk Act, saying “Families are already struggling with skyrocketing prices at the grocery store, and this new rule would limit their access to healthy milk….” According to a letter to the secretary of the USDA, who regulates the WIC program, Stefanik also wants to know why they disregarded a congressional directive that’s part of the FY24 Appropriations Bill. The wording directs the USDA to “not reduce the maximum monthly allowance with respect to milk” when it submits its final ruling.
It appears the fight over milk is far from over.
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