WASHINGTON, September 18, 2008 - USDA Secretary Ed Shafer today announced $9 million for state agency technology improvements to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children ("WIC"). The grants subsidize the development, implementation, and transfer of newer, more capable computer systems and electronic benefit transfer (EBT).
"USDA is committed to delivery and accuracy of support for qualified women and their children to have the benefit of nutrition," said Shafer. "Offering EBT cards gives families needed access to benefits without the delay and stigma of paper coupons."
Investment in technology is critical to USDA's ability to modernize the delivery of benefits. To meet the goals of system improvement, for fiscal year (FY) 2008, USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has awarded a total of approximately $5 million to support the development of three model management information systems that can be implemented in a cost effective manner.
Newer WIC systems move state agencies from paper to the electronic food benefits using EBT. FNS provides support for the development and evaluation of EBT pilots to identify technology solutions that maintain integrity in nutrition benefit delivery while fostering positive outcomes for WIC participants, State agencies, and retailers. For FY 2008, FNS has awarded approximately $4 million to WIC State agencies for EBT-related activities. As additional WIC State agencies embark on EBT projects, FNS will evaluate EBT costs and focus on ways to make nationwide WIC EBT implementation efficient and affordable.
USDA's 15 nutrition assistance programs reach one in five Americans each year and serve as our Nation's first line of defense against hunger. They include the Food Stamp Program, Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program, school meals programs and WIC.
WIC serves to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and counseling and health service referrals.
