WASHINGTON, DC—Two bills recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives seek to alter the juice issuance and the fruit and vegetable benefits within the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages, sparking concern among public health experts.
H.R. 9305, the Juice for Healthy Families Act, would increase juice issuance levels in WIC food packages, effectively reversing recent changes made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The second bill, the Juice Access Improvement Act (H.R. 9304), would require states to default to issuing more juice to families rather than a higher fruit and vegetable benefit. Currently, states have the choice between defaulting to juice issuance or a higher fruit and vegetable benefit, and families can substitute one for the other based on preference.
If signed into law, these bills would undo major aspects of USDA’s 2024 updates to the WIC food packages. These changes were the first in a decade, meant to align WIC food packages with current nutrition science and evidence-based recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
When the proposed changes were issued in 2023, NWA submitted a public comment in support, encouraging the consumption of whole fruits and vegetables over juice.
The following is a statement from Georgia Machell, president and CEO of the National WIC Association (NWA):
"For more than 50 years, WIC food packages have formed the bedrock of nutrition and well-being for millions of women, infants, and young children across the nation. The specific foods included in WIC’s food packages have always been based on the latest nutrition science, and we should not deviate from that standard now. Doing so would harm the health of American families and set a dangerous precedent for future program decisions.
"The evidence speaks for itself. Following the food package updates made in 2009, participants purchased healthier foods; WIC-authorized stores carried healthier products; and diet quality improved for children ages 2 to 4 participating in WIC. We are equally confident that the 2024 updates will drive even greater progress—provided Congress allows them to take full effect without interference.
"WIC has an independent, evidence-based process for updating food packages, and NWA opposes legislative attempts to override this process. WIC’s food packages include specific foods tailored to provide essential nutrients to promote healthy growth and development. USDA’s updates reinforced WIC's science-based nutrition recommendations.
"Particularly during this time of rising food insecurity and high grocery costs, increasing families’ purchasing power for healthy foods is critical. The updates also provide greater choice and flexibility to WIC participants, empowering them to make the best decisions for their family’s needs.
"WIC’s food packages should remain grounded in nutrition science, not political influence. We urge Congress to reject these bills and maintain the integrity of WIC's food packages."