The dairy industry responds to a new WIC final rule. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) expressed disappointment in Tuesday’s final rule to update the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC. The final rule maintains the proposed rule’s cuts to dairy in the WIC food packages.
WIC is a vital program ensuring that pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and children have access to key nutrients that may be lacking in their diets, so decreasing the amount of dairy decreases the nutrients they are accessing through it.
NMPF president and CEO Gregg Doud responded, “This rule works against the WIC Program’s goal of ensuring all Americans have consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, and affordable foods.”
Milk, cheese, and yogurt are three of the five top redeemed items through WIC, according to NMPF and IDFA. While disappointed in the cuts to the dairy allotments the groups appreciate the rule’s requirement that states offer lactose-free milk and a wider selection of product package sizes.
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Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.