H.R. 9304: Juice Access Improvement Act

This bill would change how WIC food packages are set up for certain participants. WIC is the federal nutrition program for women, infants, and young children.

What it would require

For the WIC food packages covered by the bill, state agencies would have to:

• make juice the default option in the package, and
• allow participants to choose a $3 cash-value voucher instead of juice if they request it.

The $3 voucher amount would be adjusted each year for inflation, using the same kind of yearly adjustment used for other WIC cash-value vouchers for women and children.

Which WIC packages are affected

The bill applies only to certain WIC food packages, including:

• Children ages 1 through 4
• Pregnant women and women who are partly breastfeeding
• Postpartum women
• Women who are fully breastfeeding

Regulatory changes

The Secretary of Agriculture would be required to issue or update any rules needed to carry out the change. The bill specifically directs the department to revise existing federal WIC regulations to match the new requirements.

Definitions

The bill uses the existing federal definition of juice under WIC rules, meaning juice that meets current supplemental food standards. It also defines the Secretary as the Secretary of Agriculture.

Relevant Companies

None found