ERS Charts of Note
Subscribe to get highlights from our current and past research, Monday through Friday, or see our privacy policy.
Get the latest charts via email, or on our mobile app for 
and 
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Federal spending for USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) totaled $7.2 billion in fiscal 2011-8 percent more than in the previous year. WIC helps safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, and infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk, by providing a package of supplemental foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals. Fifty-three percent of 2011 participants were children, 23 percent were infants, and 23 percent were women. Reflecting the continued decline in U.S. births in recent years, participation by all three groups decreased by 2 to 3 percent in fiscal 2011. The decrease in the number of participants was more than offset by a 13-percent increase in per person food costs. This chart appears in The Food Assistance Landscape, FY 2011 Annual Report, EIB-93, March 2012.
Monday, September 12, 2011
USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is the largest purchaser of infant formula in the U.S. Each State awards a sole-source contract to a formula manufacturer to provide its product to WIC participants. In exchange, the manufacturer provides the State with a large rebate (averaging about 85 percent of the wholesale price) for each can of formula purchased through the program. In fiscal year 2009, WIC received $1.9 billion in rebates from formula manufacturers, supporting almost 25 percent of the WIC caseload that year. This chart is from the September 2011 issue of Amber Waves magazine.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) helps safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women as well as infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk, by providing a package of supplemental foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals. During fiscal 2010, spending for WIC totaled $6.8 billion or 4 percent more than in fiscal 2009. An average 9.2 million people per month participated in the program, or 1 percent more than in the previous fiscal year. The number of children participating increased 3 percent, while the number of women and infants each decreased 2 percent from the previous year, reflecting the decrease in U.S. births in 2009. Monthly per person food costs averaged $41.55 after rebates or 2 percent less than the previous fiscal year. This chart was originally published in The Food Assistance Landscape, FY 2010, EIB-6-8, March 2011.