FRAC - New Institute of Medicine Report on the WIC Food Packages

The following letter was sent to all members of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Agriculture.

May 11, 2005

Hon. Robert Bennett
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairman Bennett:

Federal food and nutrition programs provide a critical safety net for millions of working families and children. Evidence shows that they reduce hunger, lower the rates of low birthweight births, save lives, help children get ready for school, improve health, improve student achievement, and reduce obesity. We urge your subcommittee to support these crucial programs while making decisions during the FY2006 appropriations process. Specifically, we urge you to:

Support the President's proposal for $5.5 billion for WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), to fund a growing caseload of 8.5 million participants per month and to replenish the $125 million contingency reserve. In addition to providing nutritious foods and nutrition education, WIC also increases the number of women receiving prenatal care, reduces the incidence of low birth weight and infant mortality, reduces anemia, and enhances the nutritional quality of the diet of participants.

We also urge you to reject the Administration's proposal to cap grants for nutrition services in WIC at 25 percent of the total grants to states. The cap would reduce access to important nutrition and health services, such as immunization referrals, nutrition counseling, and breastfeeding support.

Provide $140 million to maintain mandatory USDA commodity purchases and $60 million for administrative support for TEFAP, The Emergency Food Assistance Program. TEFAP commodities reach households through local emergency food providers and fill the gaps for those in immediate need who are not receiving sufficient benefits from federal nutrition programs or not receiving other federal nutrition programs. TEFAP helps meet a rising need for emergency food from working poor people, families with children, seniors and others.
Provide $136.3 million to maintain CSFP, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Almost 90% of CSFP commodities are provided to low-income elderly persons, with remaining resources distributed to women, infants and children not receiving WIC. Due to changes in the cost of dairy products in the CSFP food package, USDA estimates that $136.3 million will be necessary to maintain current CSFP caseloads.
Support Funding for the WIC Farmers' Market Program at $20 million and the Seniors Farmers' Market Program at $15 million. These programs help support local agriculture and provide fresh fruit and vegetables to low-income families who otherwise might not have access to these essential components of a balanced diet.

We also urge the subcommittee to expand the proven successful "Lugar Summer Food pilot" program (Simplified Summer Food Program), move towards restoration of CACFP audit funding to 1-1/2 percent (from the current 1 percent), and expand the popular CACFP supper pilot program.

The Lugar Summer Food Pilot Program was first implemented in 2001 with the goal of increasing participation for both sponsors and low-income children and easing paperwork in the states then reaching the fewest children (compared to their school-year school lunch program). While most states experienced a decline in the number of summer meals served in recent years, the 13 original Lugar Pilot states saw a 20.1% increase between 2000 and 2003. This strongly contrasts with the 2.7% decrease in non-pilot states.
CACFP Audit Funding: It was the intent of Congress when passing the 1998 Child Nutrition reauthorization legislation that the CACFP audit fund reduction from 1-1/2 percent to 1 percent was "only for the purpose of complying with the budget rules" and that "audit funds be restored before the 2005 deadline." These funds have not yet been restored, and, as a result, many states will be facing reductions in staff, nutrition services and the ability to adequately oversee program operations.
Supper Pilots: Currently seven pilot states operate afterschool supper programs for low-income children. Very large numbers of low-income parents with school age children work non-traditional hours in their full-time jobs or while working part-time and transitioning from welfare to work. Many afterschool programs provide care for these families by operating longer hours. Suppers can sustain the children through the early evening hours until their parents can pick them up after work, further improving the programs' ability to meet the children's needs for education supports, physical activity and other key services.

In addition to these immediate concerns, we hope you also will search for funding opportunities for other critical programs authorized during the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. These needs include:

Support Team Nutrition Network and Local Nutrition and Physical Activity Grants which focus on creating healthy school nutrition environments, promote healthy eating habits, and increase physical activity among elementary and secondary students.
Review of Best Practices in the Breakfast Program, collect and distribute model programs along with recommendations for schools to increase participation and overcome obstacles.
Increase in access to Local Foods and School Gardens Program which support farm-to-cafeteria projects and school garden programs.
Establishing Free Lunch and Breakfast Eligibility Pilot Programs which expand the income limit for free lunch and breakfast to 185% of the poverty guidelines.
Expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program which provides free fruits and vegetables to students in elementary and secondary schools.

When appropriately funded, food and nutrition programs can prevent millions of families, children and elderly persons from going hungry. We urge the committee to continue to support these vital programs during the fiscal year 2006 appropriations process.

Sincerely,

James D. Weill
President

Ellen Teller
Director of Government Affairs