Bill Overview
Title: A bill to amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the authorization of frozen fruits and vegetables under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children.
Description: This bill revises the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to require states to make available frozen fruits and vegetables under the program.
Sponsors: Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS]
Target Audience
Population: People relying on the WIC program, including low-income women, infants, and children.
Estimated Size: 6300000
- WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, aims to provide nutritional support for low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age five.
- WIC serves millions of individuals annually in the United States, providing access to more nutritious food options.
- The target demographic includes economically disadvantaged groups who rely on WIC for nutritional support.
- This program is specific to the United States, as it is federally funded and administered by the USDA.
Reasoning
- The budget constraints suggest the policy needs to be efficiently executed with a focus on the most impacted demographics.
- The target population for WIC is extensive yet specific, covering millions of low-income women, infants, and children in the U.S.
- Including frozen fruits and vegetables could increase the nutritional variety accessible through WIC, potentially improving health outcomes.
- The change is more about availability than cost, but could enhance satisfaction with the program and nutritional intake.
- By capturing diverse perspectives, we can understand the policy's impact across different households relying on WIC.
Simulated Interviews
Part-time retail worker (Chicago, IL)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's hard to keep fresh fruits and vegetables from going bad before my kids can eat them.
- Frozen options would make it easier to have healthy food all month long.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Stay-at-home mom (Houston, TX)
Age: 32 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Availability of frozen vegetables is going to save us money and frequent trips to the grocery store.
- I can use them in more of our meals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I struggle to find time to buy fresh produce, so frozen options would be great, especially after the baby arrives.
- I think it will save time and stress in meal preparation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 4 |
Unemployed (Tucson, AZ)
Age: 40 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rely heavily on food assistance programs, and access to more kinds of food can only be helpful.
- Frozen fruits would be a new option to try for my niece.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Nurse (Miami, FL)
Age: 26 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We sometimes miss out on fresh fruits because they spoil before we get to use them, frozen options would solve this problem.
- It would be nice to have more stable options month-on-month.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Teacher (Boston, MA)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our kids like specific types of veggies; having frozen staples year-round would help maintain their diets.
- Purchasing fresh options isn't always feasible on a teacher's salary.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Grocery store cashier (Rural Alabama)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Frozen produce would definitely help since we don’t always have good quality fresh fruits and vegetables around here.
- This change could mean less need to travel far for groceries.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Freelancer (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My work doesn't give me time to shop frequently, so I often miss the fresh produce ','frozen fruits being part of WIC would be great.
- I could use them in smoothies and meals much more easily.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Construction worker (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Everyday costs are tough, but access to more types of healthy food through WIC is a good step.
- We would definitely use frozen veg for soups and stews.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Barista (Seattle, WA)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- For me, frozen produce would mean less pressure when grocery shopping on a tight budget.
- I think it would help get more veggies into my kids’ meals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $150000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $200000000)
Year 2: $155000000 (Low: $105000000, High: $210000000)
Year 3: $160000000 (Low: $110000000, High: $220000000)
Year 5: $170000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $240000000)
Year 10: $190000000 (Low: $140000000, High: $265000000)
Year 100: $250000000 (Low: $190000000, High: $350000000)
Key Considerations
- Administrative changes may be needed to support the logistics of handling frozen products.
- Supply chain arrangements would need to be adjusted to ensure the availability and delivery of frozen products without significant quality losses.
- The budgetary impact may vary depending on the scale of adoption and regional preferences for frozen fruits and vegetables.