WASHINGTON, DC—With food costs still rising and families struggling to afford groceries, a new House Appropriations proposal would cut funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) by $200 million and drastically reduce monthly fruit and vegetable benefits.
The National WIC Association (NWA) today called on the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee to reject the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture Appropriations bill, warning that the proposed cuts would harm families and force states to turn away eligible families.
NWA is deeply concerned that the House proposal fails to meet the needs of young families who rely on WIC for healthy food and critical nutrition support. The proposal would cut overall WIC funding by $200 million and falls short of the projected need for FY 2027, which is expected to exceed FY 2026 levels as food costs continue to rise. Additionally, the bill cuts WIC’s fruit and vegetable benefits by about 10%, a first step toward an up to 75% cut sought by the White House. Finally, the bill fails to ensure that WIC participants will continue to have access to flexible services, which could expire as soon as September 30, 2026, if Congress fails to act.
The following is a statement from Georgia Machell, NWA president and CEO, on the FY 2027 House Appropriations Committee proposal:
“The House proposal fails WIC families when they need help most. At a time when food costs are skyrocketing and families are facing deep economic uncertainty, this bill would reduce overall WIC funding and slash fruit and vegetable benefits for mothers and young children. It would force WIC to turn away eligible families for the first time in 30 years, breaking Congress’ 30-year bipartisan commitment to full WIC funding. For the families who receive WIC, it chips away at their ability to buy the very fruits and vegetables that federal dietary guidelines say all Americans should eat more of.
“Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins suggested that families could access other supports. However, those programs serve different purposes and are not designed to fill the gap left by WIC. In his congressional testimony last week, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasized that "he was not happy" with proposed cuts to WIC. Let us be clear: There is no replacement for WIC. Even the Trump administration’s own MAHA Commission report recognizes WIC as a unique nutrition program proven to improve fruit and vegetable consumption.
“The proposal also ignores the urgent need to make WIC's virtual service options, including phone and video appointments, permanent. These critical flexibilities will expire on September 30, 2026, unless Congress acts, undoing years of progress that have reduced transportation and childcare barriers, allowed WIC families to meet work and caregiving demands, and expanded access in rural communities.
“We urge members of the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee to continue their long-standing bipartisan support and reject this proposal in Thursday’s markup. Congress should fully fund WIC, protect fruit and vegetable benefits, and make virtual services permanent. Families are counting on you to protect the support they rely on every day.”
Now is the time to act. Tell Congress to reject Trump’s proposed budget cuts to WIC and ensure ongoing access to virtual services.