The following report addresses actions taken by FNS to comply with the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 which directed USDA to establish a Task Force to study measures to streamline the redemption of WIC benefits in a manner that promotes convenience, safety, and equitable access to WIC supplemental foods for participants in the WIC program.
A summary of the procedures related to requesting a no-cost extension for a Farm to School Grant.
The 2021 Farm to School grant awardees report is a detailed summary of the projects receiving Farm to School grants in the upcoming grants cycle.
FNS is committed to supporting WIC state agencies that are pursuing online ordering and online transactions. Bringing these shopping innovations to our participants is expected to improve the WIC shopping experience, increase equity in the program by allowing participants to shop like all other shoppers, and increase WIC benefit redemptions.
Under Section 118 of this Continuing Resolution, USDA is directed during the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 (Oct. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021) to temporarily increase the WIC Cash-Value Voucher/Benefit (CVV/B) for fruit and vegetable purchases for women and children participants to an amount recommended by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) and adjusted for inflation.
This final Task Force report includes comprehensive recommendations to USDA on next steps to advance WIC innovations associated with modern transaction models and participant redemption of supplemental foods.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided USDA with $390 million, available through FY 2024, to carry out outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits for both WIC and WIC FMNP.
FNS has heard from state agency partners that a safe and successful return to normal operations will require more than 30 days’ notice once the nationally-declared public health emergency ends. Therefore, this memorandum extends certain WIC waivers until 90 days after the end of the nationally-declared public health emergency under the Public Health Service Act.
Webinar intended for 2021 Farm to School Grantees covering baseline, progress and financial reporting.
In FY 2022, FNS is planning to replace The Integrity Profile with the new Food Delivery Portal as the system WIC state agencies use to report vendor management activities. This memorandum provides WIC state agencies information necessary to assess the resource levels needed to successfully transition to reporting required data in FDP and seeks state agency feedback on any anticipated funding needs.