WASHINGTON, DC - House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture recently revealed its decision to rescind the enhanced fruit and vegetable benefit (Benefit Bump) amount in the WIC program. Following this announcement, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) released a statement outlining its disappointment in the passing of the current version of the bill.
“The decision to rescind the enhanced fruit and vegetable benefit (Benefit Bump) amount in the WIC program is harmful to children and families,” Vice President of Nutrition and Health Mollie Van Lieu said in the statement. “The Benefit Bump, in place since April 2021, reaches nearly 5 million women and children, and directly reflects science-based targets laid out by the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) to deliver at least 50 percent of fruit and vegetable intake recommended by the recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs).”
As the organization explained in a recent release, while the bill includes some positive provisions for the fresh produce and floral industries, IFPA and its members are disappointed in the current version.
“The FY24 bill reflects a 56 percent reduction in benefits for children and a 70 percent drop for women,” continued Van Lieu. “With this decision, children will receive just $11 a month for fruits and vegetables starting October 1 of this year.”
The release went on, noting that the passing of the current funding bill will strip key nutrition benefits from the WIC program and also have consequences for growers across the country.
“If enacted, the impact of these cuts are not limited to women and children, produce growers and retailers would stand to lose $1.2 billion worth of fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be available to WIC participants,” added Van Lieu. “In contrast, we are pleased to see that the FY24 legislation would waive of the matching requirement for Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) which provides foundational research for the fresh produce industry. We are also supportive of the much-needed $8.5M increase to deal with specialty crop pests, as well as investment in USDA School Kitchen Equipment Grants.”
Click here to read the statement in full.
For more fresh produce news, keep reading ANUK.
