IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/uersib/341637.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2024 Edition

Author

Listed:
  • Hodges, Leslie
  • Toossi, Saied
  • Todd, Jessica E.
  • Ryan-Claytor, Cayley

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental foods, nutrition education, and referrals to healthcare and other social services to low-income, nutritionally at-risk women, infants, and children up to 5 years of age. About 40 percent of all infants and 22 percent of children 1 to 5 years of age in the United States participate in the program. This report explains how WIC works, examines program trends, and discusses some of the major issues facing the program. The issues include program impacts on diet quality and health, barriers and facilitators of program access, and WIC State agency efforts to contain program costs. This report also outlines changes to WIC in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the infant formula supply chain disruptions that occurred in 2022.

Suggested Citation

  • Hodges, Leslie & Toossi, Saied & Todd, Jessica E. & Ryan-Claytor, Cayley, 2024. "The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2024 Edition," Economic Information Bulletin 341637, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uersib:341637
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.341637
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/341637/files/eib-267.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.341637?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qi Zhang & Kayoung Park & Junzhou Zhang & Chuanyi Tang, 2022. "The Online Ordering Behaviors among Participants in the Oklahoma Women, Infants, and Children Program: A Cross-Sectional Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Oliveira, Victor & Davis, David E., 2006. "Recent Trends and Economic Issues in the WIC Infant Formula Rebate Program," MPRA Paper 6657, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Oliveira, Victor & Davis, David, 2015. "Manufacturers’ Bids for WIC Infant Formula Rebate Contracts, 2003-2013," Economic Information Bulletin 206808, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    4. Metin Çakır & Timothy K M Beatty & Michael A Boland & Timothy A Park & Samantha Snyder & Yanghao Wang, 2018. "Spatial and Temporal Variation in the Value of the Women, Infants, and Children Program’s Fruit and Vegetable Voucher," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 100(3), pages 691-706.
    5. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth, 2015. "The WIC Program: Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2015 Edition," Economic Information Bulletin 197543, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Hanson, Kenneth & Oliveira, Victor, 2009. "Economic Linkages Between the WIC Program and the Farm Sector," Economic Brief 58992, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    7. Oliveira, Victor & Prell, Mark A. & Smallwood, David M. & Frazao, Elizabeth, 2004. "Wic And The Retail Price Of Infant Formula," Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Reports 33873, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    8. Betson, David, 2009. "Impact of the WIC Program on the Infant Formula Market," Contractor and Cooperator Reports 292071, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    9. Rhone, Alana & Williams, Ryan & Dicken, Christopher, 2022. "Low-Income and Low-Foodstore-Access Census Tracts, 2015–19," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 2022(Economic ), June.
    10. Catherine E. Martinez & Lorrene D. Ritchie & Danielle L. Lee & Marisa M. Tsai & Christopher E. Anderson & Shannon E. Whaley, 2022. "California WIC Participants Report Favorable Impacts of the COVID-Related Increase to the WIC Cash Value Benefit," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, August.
    11. Tiehen, Laura, 2020. "The Food Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report," Economic Information Bulletin 335355, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    12. Rossin-Slater, Maya, 2013. "WIC in your neighborhood: New evidence on the impacts of geographic access to clinics," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 51-69.
    13. Oliveira, Victor, 2011. "Winner Takes (Almost) All: How WIC Affects the Infant Formula Market," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, pages 1-7.
    14. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth, 2009. "The WIC Program: Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2009 Edition," Economic Research Report 55839, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    15. Prell, Mark A., 2004. "An Economic Model Of Wic, The Infant Formula Rebate Program, And The Retail Price Of Infant Formula," Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Reports 33879, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    16. Oliveira, Victor & Prell, Mark & Cheng, Xinzhe, 2019. "The Economic Impacts of Breastfeeding: A Focus on USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children," Economic Research Report 288290, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    17. Michele Ploeg, 2009. "Do Benefits of U.S. Food Assistance Programs for Children Spillover to Older Children in the Same Household?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 412-427, December.
    18. McLaughlin, Patrick W. & Martinez, Stephen, 2021. "Specialized Stores Serving Participants in USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Can Reduce Program Food Costs and Increase Food Store Access," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 2020(03), March.
    19. Jacknowitz, Alison & Tiehen, Laura, 2010. "WIC Participation Patterns: An Investigation of Delayed Entry and Early Exit," Economic Research Report 102759, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    20. Leibtag, Ephraim & Kumcu, Aylin, 2011. "The WIC Fruit and Vegetable Cash Voucher: Does Regional Price Variation Affect Buying Power?," Economic Information Bulletin 291947, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    21. Ariun Ishdorj & Oral Capps, Jr., 2013. "The Effect of Revised WIC Food Packages on Native American Children," Reports 285230, Texas A&M University, Agribusiness, Food, and Consumer Economics Research Center.
    22. Rhone, Alana, & Williams, Ryan & Dicken, Christopher, 2022. "Low-Income and Low-Foodstore-Access Census Tracts, 2015–19," USDA Miscellaneous 323869, United States Department of Agriculture.
    23. McLaughlin, Patrick W., 2019. "Specialized Stores Serving WIC Customers in California Improve Food Access Without Raising Food Costs," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, vol. 0(04), May.
    24. Oliveira, Victor & Prell, Mark A., 2004. "Sharing the Economic Burden: Who Pays for WIC's Infant Formula?," Amber Waves:The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, pages 1-7, September.
    25. Rhone, Alana & Williams, Ryan & Dicken, Christopher, 2022. "Low-Income and Low-Foodstore-Access Census Tracts, 2015–19," Economic Information Bulletin 327355, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    26. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth & Smallwood, David M., 2011. "The Infant Formula Market: Consequences of a Change in the WIC Contract Brand," Economic Research Report 118020, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    27. Kelin Li & Ming Wen & Megan Reynolds & Qi Zhang, 2019. "WIC Participation and Breastfeeding after the 2009 WIC Revision: A Propensity Score Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-12, July.
    28. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth & Smallwood, David, 2013. "Trends in Infant Formula Rebate Contracts: Implications for the WIC Program," Economic Information Bulletin 161130, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    29. Ariun Ishdorj & Oral Capps, 2013. "The Effect of Revised WIC Food Packages on Native American Children," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 95(5), pages 1266-1272.
    30. Tiehen, Laura & Frazão, Elizabeth, 2016. "Where Do WIC Participants Redeem Their Food Benefits? An Analysis of WIC Food Dollar Redemption Patterns by Store Type," Economic Information Bulletin 262145, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    31. Hanson, Kenneth & Oliveira, Victor, 2012. "How Economic Conditions Affect Participation in USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs," Economic Information Bulletin 134682, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    32. Emily W. Duffy & Daniele A. Vest & Cassandra R. Davis & Marissa G. Hall & Molly De Marco & Shu Wen Ng & Lindsey Smith Taillie, 2022. "“I Think That’s the Most Beneficial Change That WIC Has Made in a Really Long Time”: Perceptions and Awareness of an Increase in the WIC Cash Value Benefit," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-14, July.
    33. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth & Smallwood, David M., 2010. "Rising Infant Formula Costs to the WIC Program: Recent Trends in Rebates and Wholesale Prices," Economic Research Report 59384, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    34. McLaughlin, Patrick W. & Saksena, Michelle & Saitone, Tina L. & Ma, Meilin & Volpe, Richard & Wu, Qi & Sexton, Richard J., 2021. "Cost Containment and Participant Access in USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Evidence from the Greater Los Angeles, CA, Area," USDA Miscellaneous 309614, United States Department of Agriculture.
    35. McLaughlin, Patrick W & Saksena, Michelle & Saitone, Tina L & Ma, Meilin & Volpe, Richard & Wu, Qi & Sexton, Richard J, 2021. "Cost Containment and Participant Access in USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Evidence from the Greater Los Angeles, CA, Area," Economic Research Report 327202, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth, 2015. "The WIC Program: Background, Trends, and Economic Issues, 2015 Edition," Economic Information Bulletin 197543, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    2. Katherine Meckel, 2020. "Is the Cure Worse Than the Disease? Unintended Effects of Payment Reform in a Quantity-Based Transfer Program," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(6), pages 1821-1865, June.
    3. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth & Smallwood, David M., 2011. "The Infant Formula Market: Consequences of a Change in the WIC Contract Brand," Economic Research Report 118020, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    4. Rojas Christian A. & Wei Hongli, 2019. "Spillover Mechanisms in the WIC Infant Formula Rebate Program," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 17(2), pages 1-14, November.
    5. McLaughlin, Patrick W. & Gleason, Stacy & Wilkin, Margaret, 2018. "Price Variability Across Food Product and Vendor Type in Food Benefit Redemptions Under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)," Economic Research Report 276225, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    6. Oliveira, Victor & Frazao, Elizabeth & Smallwood, David, 2013. "Trends in Infant Formula Rebate Contracts: Implications for the WIC Program," Economic Information Bulletin 161130, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    7. Rui Huang & Jeffrey Perloff, 2014. "WIC Contract Spillover Effects," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 44(1), pages 49-71, February.
    8. Alyssa J. Moran & Yuxuan Gu & Sasha Clynes & Attia Goheer & Christina A. Roberto & Anne Palmer, 2020. "Associations between Governmental Policies to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Supermarket Purchases and Individual, Retailer, and Community Health Outcomes: An Integrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-23, October.
    9. David E. Davis, 2012. "Bidding for WIC Infant Formula Contracts: Do Non-WIC Customers Subsidize WIC Customers?," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 94(1), pages 80-96.
    10. Miyoung Oh & Helen H. Jensen & Ilya Rahkovsky, 2016. "Did Revisions to the WIC Program Affect Household Expenditures on Whole Grains?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 38(4), pages 578-598.
    11. David Davis, 2014. "Buyer Alliances as Countervailing Power in WIC Infant-Formula Auctions," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 45(2), pages 121-138, September.
    12. Toossi, Saied & Jones, Jordan W., 2023. "The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report," Economic Information Bulletin 337564, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    13. Matthew J. Landry & Kim Phan & Jared T. McGuirt & Alek Ostrander & Lilian Ademu & Mia Seibold & Kathleen McCallops & Tara Tracy & Sheila E. Fleischhacker & Allison Karpyn, 2021. "USDA Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Vendor Criteria: An Examination of US Administrative Agency Variations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-21, March.
    14. Saitone, Tina L. & Sexton, Richard J. & Volpe, Richard J., III, 2012. "Markups and Promotional Patterns of California WIC-Authorized Foods," 2012 Annual Meeting, August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, Washington 124927, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    15. Tina L. Saitone & Richard J. Sexton & Richard J. Volpe, 2015. "A Wicked Problem? Cost Containment in the Women, Infants and Children Program," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 37(3), pages 378-402.
    16. Oliveira, Victor & Davis, David, 2015. "Manufacturers’ Bids for WIC Infant Formula Rebate Contracts, 2003-2013," Economic Information Bulletin 206808, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    17. Volpe, Richard & Saitone, Tina & Sexton, Richard, 2014. "Cost Containment in the WIC Program: Vendor Peer Groups and Reimbursement Rates," Economic Research Report 183224, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    18. Qi Zhang & Chuanyi Tang & Patrick W. McLaughlin & Leigh Diggs, 2017. "Individual and Store Characteristics Associated with Brand Choices in Select Food Category Redemptions among WIC Participants in Virginia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-10, March.
    19. Marchesi, Keenan & Byrne, Anne & Malone, Trey, 2023. "The Rural Food-Away-From-Home Landscape, 1990-2019," USDA Miscellaneous 335420, United States Department of Agriculture.
    20. Oliveira, Victor & Davis, David E., 2006. "Recent Trends and Economic Issues in the WIC Infant Formula Rebate Program," MPRA Paper 6657, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:uersib:341637. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ersgvus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.