This policy memorandum provides clarification to WIC state agencies on the initial authorization of vendors that derive more than 50 percent of their annual food sales revenue from WIC (above-50-percent or A50 vendors) as well as information on the requirements for A50 vendors following authorization.
This letter provides information to WIC state agencies and WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program state agencies on available American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 waivers and a new state agency request process.
Electronic Benefits Transfer is an electronic system that allows a SNAP participant to pay for food using SNAP benefits. When a participant shops at a SNAP authorized retail store, their SNAP EBT account is debited to reimburse the store for food that was purchased. EBT is in use in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will discontinue the requirement for vendors to use high security seals to secure USDA Foods deliveries as of July 1, 2023.
This letter provides WIC state agencies the opportunity to opt into waivers to modernize WIC through building or enhancing remote services.
On Nov. 8, 2022, FNS published WIC Policy Memorandum #2023-1 Abbott Infant Formula Waiver Expiration Schedule which extended active waivers to Jan. 31, 2023, or 60 days after the end of the Presidentially-declared COVID-19 major disaster declaration in the affected area, whichever is sooner. However, FNS recognizes that WIC state agencies may need additional flexibility to ensure uninterrupted access to infant formula for WIC families even as WIC state agencies transition back to normal operations. The intent of this policy memorandum is to formally describe the timeline for this transition, as previously described in the Dec. 19, 2022 letter to state agencies.
This memorandum describes the provisions of the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act that affect SNAP. Section 2502 of the Act provides that Afghan nationals, citizens, or those who last habitually lived in Afghanistan who are granted parole between July 31, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022, are eligible to receive resettlement assistance, entitlement programs (including SNAP), and other benefits available to refugees admitted under section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
This memorandum provides implementation guidance for Sec. 401 of the “Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022,” signed into law on May 21, 2022. Sec. 401 extends SNAP eligibility to certain Ukrainian parolees.
This letter is in response to correspondence from WIC state agencies using offline Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) technology or paper food instruments, and requesting program flexibility from the WIC program federal requirements as a result of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Abbott recall of certain powder infant formula, exempt infant formula, and WIC-eligible nutritionals on the nationwide supply chain leading to both periodic location- and product-based WIC infant formula and exempt infant formula shortages.
FNS has used its authority under FFRCA to waive certain onsite monitoring requirements for the school meals programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, so that programs can to maintain program integrity and support social distancing while providing meals.