California WIC Participants Report Favorable Impacts of the COVID-Related Increase to the WIC Cash Value Benefit

Abstract

The United States Department of Agriculture approved an increase to the Cash Value Benefit (CVB) for the purchase of fruits and vegetables issued to participants receiving an eligible Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package. In order to understand satisfaction, perceptions, and the overall impact of additional benefits for fruits and vegetables at the household level, a qualitative study consisting of structured phone interviews was conducted with families served by WIC in Southern California from November to December 2021 (n = 30). Families were selected from a large longitudinal study sample (N = 2784); the sample was restricted by benefit redemption and stratified by language and race. WIC participants were highly satisfied with the CVB increase, reporting increased purchasing and consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables. Respondents noted the improved quality and variety of fruits and vegetables purchased due to the increased amount. Findings are expected to inform policy makers to adjust the CVB offered in the WIC food package with the potential to improve participant satisfaction and increase participation and retention of eligible families with benefits from healthy diets supported by WIC.

Improving Fruit and Vegetable Accessibility, Purchasing, and Consumption to Advance Nutrition Security and Health Equity in the United States

“…Duffy et al (2022) [ 74 ] explored awareness, barriers and facilitators, and perceived impact of the higher allotment for FVs among WIC participants in North Carolina. Martinez et al (2022) [ 75 ] explored satisfaction and use of the higher FV allotment among WIC participants in southern California. Results from both studies indicated WIC participants believed the prior allotment for FVs was too low to support accessing adequate variety and quality of FVs [ 74 , 75 ].…”

“…Martinez et al (2022) [ 75 ] explored satisfaction and use of the higher FV allotment among WIC participants in southern California. Results from both studies indicated WIC participants believed the prior allotment for FVs was too low to support accessing adequate variety and quality of FVs [ 74 , 75 ]. Martinez and colleagues also find evidence that the increased FV allotment not only favorability impacted WIC participants, but also improved FV accessibility/consumption for other household members [ 75 ].…”

“…Results from both studies indicated WIC participants believed the prior allotment for FVs was too low to support accessing adequate variety and quality of FVs [ 74 , 75 ]. Martinez and colleagues also find evidence that the increased FV allotment not only favorability impacted WIC participants, but also improved FV accessibility/consumption for other household members [ 75 ]. Duffy and colleagues did find persistent barriers such as social stigma, FV accessibility, and policy dissemination issues described among WIC participants [ 74 ].…”

“…Duffy and colleagues did find persistent barriers such as social stigma, FV accessibility, and policy dissemination issues described among WIC participants [ 74 ]. As such, while the USDA should consider a permanent increase in the dollar allotment for FVs in the WIC benefit package to improve dietary quality [ 74 , 75 ], these key barriers require attention to center equity [ 74 ].…”

Caregivers’ Perceived Impact of WIC’s Temporary Cash-Value Benefit (CVB) Increases on Fruit and Vegetable Purchasing, Consumption, and Access in Massachusetts

“…Recent studies in California [ 25 , 26 ], North Carolina [ 27 ], and Delaware [ 28 ] suggest that this temporary increase is highly valued by WIC caregivers and may be linked with improvements in FV affordability, purchasing, and consumption, as well as overall WIC satisfaction. However, research on the perceived impact of this emergent temporary increase remains limited to mostly qualitative studies [ 25 , 27 , 28 ]. It is also unclear whether any potential benefits or impacts of the CVB increase may have been mitigated by structural inequities in access to FV.…”