WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2008 -- Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today awarded $500,000 in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Special Project Grants to Maine, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. These grants are designed to help state WIC agencies develop, implement and evaluate new or innovative methods of service delivery.

"WIC is essential in ensuring infants and children from low-income families have access to a healthful diet," said Schafer. "These grants will allow States to strengthen their WIC programs and focus on supplying the changes in WIC food packages."

Funding of $440,000 was provided to Maine for three years to develop, implement and evaluate innovative strategies to strengthen nutrition assessment skills as part of WIC's Value Enhanced Nutrition Assessment (VENA) initiative.

Oregon, Vermont and Washington were each awarded $20,000 for one year to develop concept papers on revitalizing quality nutrition services in 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 referrals to health care. More than 8 million people get WIC benefits each month.

For more information on WIC, visit the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service Web site at http://www.fns.usda.gov .