‘Front line of crisis’ food banks prepare to shut down amid shutdowns
The USDA website announced the impact of the government shutdown on food benefits.
As millions face the imminent threat of widespread nutrition programs being discontinued in November, those who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, are grappling with another financial risk.
Experts have warned that even with an emergency funding injection earlier this month, WIC could run out of funding in just a few days, as the government shutdown puts nutrition assistance programs in jeopardy.
Twenty-five states and Washington, D.C. filed a lawsuit on October 28 to force the Trump administration to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November, but questions remain about WIC. WIC is also funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), but the amounts and procedures are different.
Here’s what we know about November’s WIC payments.
What is WIC?
WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides meals, education, and counseling to approximately 7 million at-risk pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding individuals, as well as infants and children up to age 5 years.
What happens to WIC during a government shutdown?
According to a Sept. 30 contingency plan that has been removed from USDA’s website, WIC will continue to operate in the event of a closure as long as funds are available. However, because WIC is not designated as a “mandatory expenditure,” funding for the program is subject to regular appropriations and approvals by Congress.
If WIC runs out of funds, it can “capture and reallocate unused grants from prior fiscal years” to state-level activities. However, according to the plan, federal operations would cease if the funds were no longer available. States can roll over up to 3% of their fiscal year 2025 funding if unused, according to the Center for Food Research and Action. The remaining funds will be returned to USDA and reallocated to fiscal year 2026.
If the federal government runs out of money, states and local governments can step in to fill the gap and later apply for reimbursement from the federal government if they can.
A handful of states, including California, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina and Utah, have issued statements about continuing benefits through reserve funds or other programs for at least a few weeks into November.
Can tariffs fund WIC?
Earlier this month, the White House issued $300 million in unused tariff revenue and remaining funds from other programs to temporarily keep the program running. USDA told USA TODAY in an Oct. 14 statement that it will continue to use customs revenue to fund WIC “for the foreseeable future.”
It’s unclear how much money will come from tariff revenue and how it will sustain the program.
The legality of the tariffs in general is also being challenged in court, with the Supreme Court scheduled to hear arguments on November 5th. USDA did not immediately respond to questions about future funding plans depending on the outcome of the Oct. 28 lawsuit.
What happens to WIC if the shutdown continues into November?
Despite the funding infusion, the National WIC Association (NWA) said emergency funds are only enough to sustain the program until October 31st, so people could lose access to benefits starting November 1st if nothing changes.
“Without additional funding, state WIC agencies may be forced to take drastic measures, such as cutting off food benefits, that prevent families from accessing needed services, which directly jeopardizes the health and nutrition of millions of mothers, infants, and young children,” NWA CEO Georgia Machel said in an Oct. 21 statement.
NWA and 40 co-signatories said in a letter to the White House on Oct. 24 that some states may have to issue furlough notices to clinic staff starting Oct. 27 if additional funding is not received.
“NWA warns that millions of households could lose access to WIC benefits as early as November 1 unless the Trump Administration provides additional emergency funding next week,” the group said in a statement. “To avert this crisis, NWA is requesting an additional $300 million to sustain program operations through the first two weeks of November.”
The White House and the Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether they would issue additional emergency funds to WIC.
How many Americans are in WIC? Who uses it?
According to USDA, WIC served approximately 6.7 million participants each month in fiscal year 2024, including an estimated 41% of all young children in the United States.
WIC targets include pregnant women, non-lactating women up to six months postpartum, breastfeeding women up to one year postpartum, infants up to their first birthday, and children up to their fifth birthday.
To qualify, recipients must have a household income up to 185% of federal poverty guidelines or demonstrate participation in other programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF. Applicants must be exposed to a “nutritional risk” as determined by a medical professional.
Which states have the most WIC recipients?
The regions with the highest number of WIC recipients in 2024 were California, Georgia, Florida, New York and Texas, according to USDA data.
