Join us for the Texas WIC Vendor Quarterly Webinar for the latest updates.

Date: Monday, November 7, 2022

Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. CST

The temporary increase of cash value benefits (CVB) expired on September 30. However, the USDA has again increased CVBs for WIC participants effective October 1, 2022, to December 16, 2022. This means participants can continue purchasing more fruits and vegetables at authorized Texas WIC vendors. Participants who receive the increased benefits in December are able to redeem them throughout the entire month.

The new CVB amounts for fruits and vegetables are:

San Antonio-based H-E-B will host the Read 3 Big Texas Read-in to promote literacy and mark the largest reading event in the state. 

For more than 11 years, the grocer has held literacy initiatives including its Read 3 program, which encourages caretakers to read to children at least three times per week.

Super 1 Foods leaders and city officials gathered Aug. 3 for a grand opening ceremony to commemorate the new Super 1 Foods store in Jacksonville, Texas.

During the ceremony, Brad Brookshire, chairman and CEO, presented a total donation of $10,000 to the Jacksonville Fire and Police Departments.

To ensure Texas WIC participants continue to receive safe formula during the Similac formula recall, another extension has been granted
through September 30, 2022 for redeeming alternative formulas for all Abbott formulas, when contracted formulas are not available. During this time there will be no sanctions for redeeming different brands or sizes of formula.
Metabolic formulas and PM 60/40 will be handled directly with Abbott and the prescribing health care professional.

Texas WIC continues to encourage grocers to use the maximum flexibility possible. More guidance regarding formula concerns is in a February Vendor News Flash.

Tyler, Texas-based Brookshire Grocery Co. is launching a support campaign for customers to donate to the families and community affected by the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School that claimed 21 lives.

Through June 4, all Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods, Spring Market and Fresh by Brookshire’s stores will have $1, $3 and $5 coupons available for customers to make monetary donations at checkout. The donations will go to the Robb School Memorial Fund opened at the First State Bank of Uvalde.

On May 24, the FDA announced that the U.K.’s Kendamil will send three types of routine formula to the U.S. including Classic First Infant Milk Stage 1, Organic First Infant Milk Stage 1, and Goat First Infant Milk Stage 1. These products are expected to land on U.S. store shelves beginning in June. The USDA will provide technical assistance soon regarding the potential allowability of these products in the WIC Program and other nutrition assistance programs. USDA is gathering details/specifications on the product.  

Details about the company’s distribution plan are not yet available. Kendamil has set up a website for consumers to receive updates and locate product once it arrives in the U.S.  

J.M Smucker has issued a nationwide recall of select Jif brand peanut butter products due to a recent salmonella outbreak. Affected WIC authorized products can be found using the product lot codes, and UPCs below.

Recalled WIC authorized products include:

• Lot Code: 1274425 through 2140425 with “425” at the end of the first 7 numbers.

Additionally, there was an update from FDA released yesterday (5/10) on infant formula supply. Today, FDA provided additional information on the outbreak investigation, see it here. Also today, the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee announced that an oversight hearing on infant formula shortages will take place on May 25, 2022. Additional details will be released closer to the hearing.

The Texas WIC program is pleased to announce new fish options for WIC participants starting on August 01, 2022. In addition to the currently available chunk light tuna and pink salmon in 5-6 ounce cans, participants will be able to get additional can sizes and foil pouches, as well as two additional types of fish: sardines and mackerel. Tuna and salmon can be in water or oil. Sardines and mackerel can be in water, oil, or sauce. See the added items below.

Good evening everyone.

A quick update to include processing completed Tuesday evening (April 26).

As a Christian-based and family-owned organization, these two ­values are at the core of Lowe’s Market. 

The Christian and family values helped drive one of the company’s internal logos – GFG, which stands for God, family and groceries. The letters are listed in order – God is first priority, family is second and the grocery business third. 

To ensure Texas WIC participants continue to receive safe formula during the Similac formula recalls, alternative brands have been extended through May 31, 2022. During this time there will be no sanctions for redeeming different brands or sizes of formula. Texas WIC continues to encourage grocers to use the maximum flexibility possible.

Texas WIC provided guidance regarding formula concerns in a February Vendor News Flash.                  

Effective April 6, 2022, additional store brands for hypoallergenic (Alimentum and Nutramigen) were added for those clients with prescribed benefits. You may view additional formula updates, UPCs and Not to Exceed (NTE) amounts for all added formulas at Special WIC Food Updates | Texas WIC.  

Texas WIC has revised the following vendor policy:

WV:01.0 – WIC Vendor Agreement/Policy Violations

Please see the Summary of Changes below.

WIC Increases Not-to-Exceed (NTE) Prices

Due to the rapidly increasing prices of food, Texas WIC is changing the “Not-To-Exceed price” (NTE) on many food subcategories effective April 1, 2022. The new NTE prices are listed below.

Starting April 1, 2022, the Texas WIC Program will reorganize the cereal category from 2 subcategories into 3 subcategories. The cereal will now be organized based on the number of ounces per box and individual UPCs will move into their corresponding subcategory. New Not-to-Exceed (NTE) amounts will be assigned to each subcategory. This will have an impact on monthly price averages beginning with the April process month.

Summary of Changes:

The increase of cash value benefits (CVB) has been extended for WIC participants through September 30, 2022. This means participants can continue to purchase more fruits and vegetables at authorized Texas WIC vendors.

Texas WIC announced in a December 10  Vendor News Flash that the temporary extension would expire on March 31, 2022. However, on March 15, the President signed the Omnibus Spending Package into law which authorizes the extension of the enhanced CVB benefit through September 30, 2022.

The current temporary CVB levels remain for fruits and vegetables: