U.S. to expand healthy food assistance to women, infants and children

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters

By Reuters
Friday, February 28, 2014 7:56 EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Some 9 million poor women and young children who receive federal food assistance under the U.S. government’s so-called WIC program will have greater access to fruits, vegetables and whole grains under an overhaul of the program unveiled on Friday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture hailed the revamping of its Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children as the first comprehensive revisions to WIC food voucher allowances since 1980.

The list of foods that recipients could pay for with WIC vouchers was long limited to such basics as milk, infant formula, cheese, eggs, cereals, bread and tuna fish.

But many of the changes finalized by the USDA on Friday were instituted on an interim basis in 2007, including the introduction of fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables to the list of WIC-covered foods.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/28/u-s-to-expand-healthy-food-assistance-to-women-infants-and-children/

[theHandpuppet]

1. 'Bout damn time!

This is good news.

[uppityperson]

2. WIC is one of the last programs that should be cut. It does a ot of good for a specific group

of people who could really use it. Getting a better start in life is good.

[Cha]

3. K!

[Sunlei]

4. Thank you Mrs. Obama. May the decline in school childrens obesity rates continue as access to

healthy foods becomes required for more USDA food programs.

"Recent research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified changes to the WIC food packages as a contributing factor in the decline in obesity rates among low-income preschoolers in many States."


ref from http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2014/02/0031.xml&contentidonly=true