The biennial WIC Participant and Program Characteristics Report describes a census of all participants in WIC. The most recent report (PC 2016) reflects state management information systems data from April 2016, and this Food Package Report is a supplemental analysis of that data. While PC 2016 summarizes participant characteristics, this report summarizes the food packages, or prescriptions, that state agencies issued to these participants.
This report supplements FNA administrative data on food package costs by estimating the average monthly food costs for each WIC participant category and food package type. It also estimates total pre- and post-rebate dollars spent on 17 major categories of WIC-eligible foods in FY 2014. This report is an update to the previous WIC Food Package Cost Report for FY 2010.
We are encouraging all WIC state agencies to add the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General hotline website to all WIC food instruments or their accompanying folders or sleeves.
The purpose of this policy memorandum is to clarify that the presence of state appropriated funding in the operation of the WIC program does affect the manner in which federal claims against WIC state agencies may be satisfied.