USDA should scrap planned milk and dairy cuts in WIC food package

Access to nutritious food is a critical contributor to positive health outcomes for all Americans. This is especially true for mothers, infants and young children who need the vitamins and nutrients that dairy products provide in order to grow and thrive.

As we know, dairy is a true superfood, packing 13 essential nutrients that both children and adults need for healthy immune function, bone health, hydration, growth and development, and overall wellness.

More than 50 years ago, Congress created the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). This program provides eligible families with free healthy foods, including milk, cheese and yogurt. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), WIC serves nearly 40% of the babies born in the United States and has well over 6 million participants every month.

For decades, the WIC program has helped to address the chronic under-consumption of dairy by a key segment of our population. Repeated Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) have identified dairy products as nutrient-dense, while also noting that a high percentage of the U.S. population, including WIC families, do not consume the recommended level of dairy.

Despite this concerning trend, the previous Administration decided to significantly cut the amount of milk provided in the WIC program. Under a final rule that was promulgated in April 2024, USDA announced that the WIC milk allotment for pregnant women, new mothers, and children up to age 5 would be cut by up to 3 gallons per month for families that participate in the program.

The amount of cheese provided in the program is also decreasing. According to USDA’s own analysis, the Department expects to see more than a $28 million per year decrease in milk consumption and at least an $8 million decrease per year in cheese redemptions once the cuts are fully implemented in 2026. By cutting the amount of dairy in the WIC program, this rule is reducing WIC benefits, contradicting the DGAs and harming the nutrition security of WIC moms and children.

As you might expect, WIC families are not happy that their milk and dairy benefits are being decreased. In fact, a recent survey that IDFA conducted in association with the Morning Consult polling firm found that current or potential WIC participants will be less likely to participate in WIC if there are less milk/dairy benefits provided. According to a survey of more than 800 WIC participants, 17% of respondents said they would not re-enroll in WIC if milk/dairy benefits were cut. A further 30% were unsure if they would stay in the WIC program if the cuts were made. Four in five (79%) are concerned with USDA’s proposal to reduce WIC dairy benefits.

It is not too late for USDA to reverse the proposed WIC dairy cuts. IDFA has been working with our industry’s supporters in Congress to pass legislation that would require USDA to restore the WIC milk allotment to ensure that families participating in the program continue to have access to the unique nutritional benefits that dairy products provide. Maintaining WIC’s dairy benefits would also be consistent with the Trump Administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which recognizes the important role that a nutritious diet plays in positive health outcomes.

Let’s make sure that WIC and other government nutrition programs continue to provide moms and kids with an adequate supply of the dairy products they need to grow strong and healthy. DF

J. David Carlin leads the International Dairy Foods Association's legislative, political and economic policy activities. Prior to joining IDFA, Carlin was a partner with the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. From 1995-1998, he served as assistant secretary for Congressional Relations under Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman at USDA.