Van Orden, Harder Introduce Legislation to Protect Milk Access for WIC Recipients
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) and Josh Harder (D-CA) introduced the Protecting Mothers and Infants' Access to Milk Act, which will return the maximum monthly allowance of milk available for families, utilizing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to previous levels.
“While I was overseas defending our nation as a Navy SEAL, my wife was using WIC coupons to feed our children because a junior enlisted servicemember’s salary could not support a family,” said Rep. Van Orden. “Milk provides critical nutrients for a child’s development, and I am proud to introduce this bill to restore WIC maximum monthly allowance for milk so families can feed their children and keep them healthy.”
“As a dad and a consumer, it’s absurd to me that the government would choose to limit parents’ ability to buy healthy milk for their kids,” said Rep. Harder. “This bipartisan bill restores families’ choice in the grocery aisle and makes sure that our local dairy farmers can keep our families well-fed.”
“Six million low-income mothers, infants and young children rely on the WIC program for critical nutrition—especially milk, cheese and yogurt, which represent three of the top five foods redeemed through WIC.," said Michael Dykes, president and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association. "Despite high food costs and chronic food insecurity, the Biden Administration cut WIC milk and dairy benefits the equivalent of 3 gallons or more of milk per family per month. This Congress has the opportunity to right that wrong before the WIC cuts take effect in 2026. IDFA commends Reps. Van Orden and Harder for leading this effort to ensure our nation’s most vulnerable women, infants and young children can continue to access fresh, wholesome dairy products for their families.”
Background:
In April 2024, the Biden Administration finalized a rule, “Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages,” which substantially reduced the amount of milk available to WIC families. The final rule, which went into effect on June 17, 2024, will have unintended and significant negative effects on the health of babies, mothers, and families participating in WIC. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, about 90 percent of the U.S. population does not meet dairy consumption recommendations.
Click here for the full bill text.