1. The Family Food Economy: The Role of WIC in Meeting Needs
Craig Gundersen
University of Illinois
Soybean Industry Endowed Professor of Agricultural Strategy, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics

2. Questions From committee From title
How do SNAP and other child nutrition programs interact with WIC?
How might individuals getting WIC and one of these other programs shop differently or spend money on food differently?
Does the availability of SNAP affect redemptions of WIC foods?
From title
As currently constructed, should we anticipate that WIC would have an impact on meeting family needs?

3. SNAP An amazing program High benefits for families
central goal is to alleviate food insecurity and it succeeds
also improves well-being over other dimensions
High benefits for families
maximum of almost $700 per month for a family of 4
average benefit of about $250 per month for a family of 4
Has a profound effect on the family food economy
WIC can learn a lot from SNAP if this is a goal of WIC

6. How do SNAP and other child nutrition programs interact with WIC?

7. How do SNAP and other child nutrition programs interact with WIC?

8. How might individuals getting WIC and one of these other programs shop differently or spend money on food differently?
Unlikely that would shop differently
goal would be to optimize use of SNAP benefits since substantially larger
price
quality
selection
accessibility
Products that are available through WIC are generally available at any major food retailer
virtually all SNAP benefits are spent at major food retailers
especially true for infant formula

9. Does the availability of SNAP affect redemptions of WIC foods?
To answer, compare “inframarginal” status across various categories
if SNAP and WIC recipients are similar to other categories, unlikely that SNAP is affecting use of WIC benefits
Results
SANP and WIC recipients: 85.2% spend more on food than they receive with SNAP
SNAP recipients and eligible non-WIC recipients: 84.5% spend more on food than they receive with SNAP
all SNAP recipients: 86.4% spend more on food than they receive with SNAP
So, unlikely that SNAP is influencing redemption of WIC foods or vice-versa

10. As currently constructed, should we anticipate that WIC would have an impact on meeting family needs?
WIC does have a demonstrated positive impact on several outcomes, especially for birth outcomes and infant health
this does benefit households
As currently constructed, one should not expect WIC to have large impacts on meeting family needs
not that appealing to households with children one year of age and older
especially true for older children
across all age groups, value of benefits is quite small
especially in comparison to benefits of other programs like SNAP and EITC
Unlike SNAP, WIC is unlikely to have a large impact on meeting family needs
lots of other programs that fall into this same portrayal

11. As currently constructed, should we anticipate that WIC would have an impact on meeting family needs?
Some suggestions on how WIC could have a larger impact
consider making the “WIC basket” less strict and more appealing
very little evidence (if any) that the composition of the “WIC basket” influences positive impacts
would increase redemption of WIC benefits
would increase participation by children
would likely increase breastfeeding rates
ascertain ways that WIC participants could more easily access SNAP
make WIC more like SNAP