The rule titled Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children: Revisions in the WIC Food Packages was published on March 4, 2014. The Office of Management and Budget cleared the associated information collection requirements on April 14, 2014. This document announces approval of the ICR.
This document is a correction appearing on pages 12273-12300 of a document that was published on 03/04/2014.
This document is a correction of an document that was published on 03/04/2014.
The Department announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by state agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate in the WIC program. These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the WIC regulations.
The WIC food packages provide supplemental foods designed to meet the special nutritional needs of low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants and children up to five years of age who are at nutritional risk. WIC food packages and nutrition education are the chief means by which WIC affects the dietary quality and habits of participants.
This final rule strengthens vendor management in retail food delivery systems by establishing mandatory selection criteria, training requirements, criteria to be used to identify high-risk vendors, and monitoring requirements, including compliance investigations. In addition, the rule strengthens food instrument accountability and sanctions for participants who violate program requirements.
This final rule amends the regulations governing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children to clarify one of the provisions required by the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.
This final rule amends the WIC program regulations to incorporate two nondiscretionary funding provisions mandated by the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000.
The interim rule and this final rule implement three legislative requirements that affect the application and certification process for the WIC program.
The provisions in this interim rule include elimination of the following provisions: required provision of written information on certain other assistance programs; state agency timeframes for action on local agency applications for participation in the WIC program; annual evaluation of nutrition education and breastfeeding promotion efforts; and annual submission of a state plan.