On September 15, 2003, FNS published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking comments on revisions to the food packages offered through the WIC Program.  The ninety-day comment period ended December 15, 2003.  In this ANPRM, the Department solicited public comments on redesigning the food packages offered through the WIC Program to determine if the WIC food packages should be revised to better improve the nutritional intake, health and development of participants and, if so, what specific changes should be made to the food packages.  The Department has enlisted independent technical experts via the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board to review available science and comments submitted in response to this ANPRM, and to develop recommendations on revising the WIC food packages for the Department’s consideration.  The Department will use comments received through the ANPRM and the IOM recommendations to develop a proposed rule to revise the WIC food packages.   You can view public comments we received, in PDF format.

Review of the WIC Food Packages by the Institute of Medicine

In September 2003, a contract was awarded to the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine (IOM), through the Food and Nutrition Board, to independently review the WIC food packages in a 22-month study. Under this contract, IOM has selected a Committee of experts in nutrition, health, risk assessment and economics to conduct this study in two phases. In Phase I, the Committee is using current scientific information to review the nutritional requirements and assess the supplemental nutrition needs of the population served by WIC. Based on this assessment, IOM will, in phase II, recommend cost-neutral changes in WIC food items or amounts to better address the nutritional needs of the WIC eligible population.

On August 19, 2004, the Committee released its Phase I preliminary report, "Proposed Criteria for Selecting the WIC Food Packages." The preliminary report lists priority nutrients and food groups that the Committee will consider in making its recommendations regarding specific foods. The report also proposes criteria that the Committee will use to select the WIC food packages. Using the priority nutrients/food groups and criteria proposed in this preliminary report, IOM will prepare a final report with cost-neutral recommendations for specific foods by February 2005. IOM held two public meetings in Los Angeles, California, and Washington, DC, in the summer of 2004, to hear oral comments on proposed changes in the WIC food packages, and is also accepting written comments until November 1, 2004.