Child Nutrition and WIC Programs: Background and Recent Funding

Publication Date: July 2006

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Health

Type:

Abstract:

Federally supported child nutrition programs/initiatives and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (the WIC program) reach more than 39 million children and 2 million lower-income pregnant/ postpartum women. In FY2006, spending on them is anticipated to be $18.4 billion, supported by new appropriations of a lesser amount ($17.9 billion). The Administration's FY2007 budget request envisions spending a total of $19.1 billion, with new appropriations of $18.8 billion. For FY2007, the House and Senate appropriations bills (H.R. 5384) call for spending $19.2 billion, supported by new appropriations of $18.6 billion in the House and $18.9 billion in the Senate.

Child Nutrition Programs. The School Lunch and School Breakfast programs provide cash subsidies for all meals they serve to schools choosing to participate; larger subsidies are granted for free and reduced-price meals offered to lower-income children. The Child and Adult Care Food program subsidizes meals/snacks served by child care centers and day care homes; federal subsidy rules differ significantly between those provided to centers and those for day care homes. Schools and organizations operating programs for children also can receive subsidies for snacks (and, in some cases, meals) served in after-school and other outside-of-school settings. The Summer Food Service program subsidizes food service operations by public/private nonprofit sponsors volunteering to operate projects during the summer; all meals/snacks they serve are free. The Special Milk program operates in schools and other venues without a lunch program and subsidizes all milk served. All these subsidies are inflation-indexed and are paid only where the meals/snacks meet federal nutrition and other standards. In addition to cash aid, many providers receive food commodities from the Agriculture Department, at a set value per meal (and may receive "bonus" commodities from Department surplus stocks). Grants also are made to help cover state administrative expenses. Other significant federal programs/activities include a free fresh fruit and vegetable program in selected schools, money for a Food Service Management Institute, a small nutrition education initiative, activities to improve program integrity, meal quality, food service and safety, and support for local school "wellness policies." Separately, the WIC program provides nutrition services (e.g., nutrition education, breastfeeding support) and tailored food packages to lower-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children who are judged to be at nutritional risk. And a WIC farmers' market program offers vouchers to WIC recipients for the purchase of fresh fruit and vegetables at farmers' markets.

These are administered by the Agriculture Department's Food and Nutrition Service and state education, health, social service, and agriculture agencies. They actually are operated, under state oversight, by over 300,000 local providers (such as schools, child care centers, health clinics). Federal payments do not necessarily cover all program costs, and nonfederal support is significant (e.g., children's families' school meal payments, state/local contributions).

This report will be updated as warranted.