CFPA - Nutrition Action Alert 12.3.07

WIC is in the midst of its most pressing funding crisis in years. We need your help.

Unless Congress and the President take decisive action very soon, substantial caseload reductions are imminent. With the funding level proposed in the President's Budget, the California WIC program projects a funding shortfall of close to $50 million for federal fiscal year 2008, which would force local programs to reduce their service levels by 128,000 per month beginning in January!

This county-by-county chart shows how many women and children WIC would have to turn away in under this grim scenario.

Skyrocketing food prices and growing economic troubles have increased community demand for WIC services, but national funding has been frozen at 2006 levels. Now, WIC is caught up in the legislative gridlock that is gripping Washington; the Agriculture Appropriations bill is bogged down, and President Bush has vowed to veto any funding bills that exceed his budget requests. Currently, WIC is running under a Continuing Resolution that expires on December 14.

Key legislators are now working on an omnibus appropriations bill that would wrap all of the remaining funding bills into one. Negotiations are in progress and floor action is expected as early as this Thursday, December 6th. We must pull WIC out of a possible fiscal train wreck!

Advocates are seeking a funding level of $5.96 billion to protect current services. This amount is $240 million more than the Senate Appropriations Committee's funding level. We must get this additional funding, or many needy women and children will get cut off the program next year!

Action

Contact Senators Boxer and Feinstein and your Representative immediately! In particular, Republican support for WIC is critical! Other key representatives are:

- Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Lewis, Sam Farr, John Doolittle, George Miller, Anna Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren, Henry Waxman, Howard Berman, Joe Baca, Grace Napolitano, Hilda Solis, Maxine Waters, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Dennis Cardoza, Lynn Woolsey, Buck McKeon, Susan Davis

(Contact information below)

Message

WI WIC faces a funding crisis. Congress must hold WIC harmless from funding cuts in the omnibus funding bill.

CC Congress must fund WIC at $5.96 billion with a goal of serving all eligibles or California WIC will have to cut over 128,000 women and children from the Program starting in January!

Programs in my county would have to drop service levels by ____ (see County WIC Cuts Chart).

It would be unconscionable for WIC to turn any applicants away when they need WIC now for healthy pregnancy and childhood outcomes and hunger prevention. Describe the poor health consequences that result when young mothers and children do not receive WIC's protective nutrition benefits and support services.

Timing is critical! THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

For further analysis of the WIC situation, please read this report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

For more information, contact CWA at 916-448-2280 or Laurie True at ltrue@calwic.org.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D)

Phone: 202-224-3841

Fax: 202-228-3954

Senator Barbara Boxer (D)

Phone: 202-224-3553

Fax: 415-956-6701

(yes, 415 area code)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D)

Phone: 202-225-0100

Click here to find your representative.

Appropriations for Simplified Summer Food Program

From the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC):

In order to improve the chances that funding for the Simplified Summer Food Program (SSFP) will be included either in a separately negotiated Agriculture Appropriations bill or an omnibus funding bill, advocates are urging Members to cosponsor legislation offered by Senator Lugar (R-IN) and Representative Hinchey (D-NY) that would expand the SSFP nationwide (S. 790, H.R. 1740).

The House-passed Agriculture Appropriations bill (H.R. 3161) provides for nationwide SSFP expansion; the Senate Appropriations Committee version (S. 1859) omits it.

Click here for more info on the SSFP.

Click here for more on appropriations updates.

Action

Urge Members of Congress to support including the Simplified Summer Food Program in the final FY 2008 funding bill (either through Agriculture Appropriations or in Omnibus legislation). Ask Members of Congress to cosponsor legislation expanding the SSFP nationwide offered by Senator Lugar (R-IN) (S. 790) and Representative Hinchey (D-NY) (H.R. 1740).

OMB Clears WIC Food Package Rule

Despite the potential threats to the WIC program described above, WIC got a big boost recently due to news that the Office of Management and Budget cleared the way for a final rule on the improved WIC food package. The new food package demonstrates the importance of this program in ensuring positive health outcomes among low-income women, infants, and children.

Read the following good news from the National WIC Association!

"NWA learned last week that the White House Office of Management & the Budget (OMB) has completed its review of the proposed Revisions in the WIC Food Packages. The changes are expected to be published in the Federal Register by USDA/FNS as Interim Final Rule as early as this week.

Clearance by OMB and publication of the rule will set in motion actions that will initiate implementation of the long-awaited and long advocated changes to the WIC Food Packages, which include among other things fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables. NWA began the journey to transform the WIC food packages over a decade ago, pressing for monumental changes to better reflect the nutritional and dietary needs of the diverse community of WIC families served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC). A key step of this journey will be the publication of these much-needed regulations updating the WIC food packages.

We will keep you posted and send out the interim final rule when it is published."

116 New Montgomery St. San Francisco, CA 94105 415.777.4422 www.cfpa.net
Nutrition Action Update	December 3, 2007
WIC Action: Funding Crisis, Potential Caseload Cuts From our friends at the California WIC Association: WIC is in the midst of its most pressing funding crisis in years. We need your help. Unless Congress and the President take decisive action very soon, substantial caseload reductions are imminent. With the funding level proposed in the President's Budget, the California WIC program projects a funding shortfall of close to $50 million for federal fiscal year 2008, which would force local programs to reduce their service levels by 128,000 per month beginning in January! This county-by-county chart shows how many women and children WIC would have to turn away in under this grim scenario. Skyrocketing food prices and growing economic troubles have increased community demand for WIC services, but national funding has been frozen at 2006 levels. Now, WIC is caught up in the legislative gridlock that is gripping Washington; the Agriculture Appropriations bill is bogged down, and President Bush has vowed to veto any funding bills that exceed his budget requests. Currently, WIC is running under a Continuing Resolution that expires on December 14. Key legislators are now working on an omnibus appropriations bill that would wrap all of the remaining funding bills into one. Negotiations are in progress and floor action is expected as early as this Thursday, December 6th. We must pull WIC out of a possible fiscal train wreck! Advocates are seeking a funding level of $5.96 billion to protect current services. This amount is $240 million more than the Senate Appropriations Committee's funding level. We must get this additional funding, or many needy women and children will get cut off the program next year! Action Contact Senators Boxer and Feinstein and your Representative immediately! In particular, Republican support for WIC is critical! Other key representatives are: - Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Lewis, Sam Farr, John Doolittle, George Miller, Anna Eshoo, Zoe Lofgren, Henry Waxman, Howard Berman, Joe Baca, Grace Napolitano, Hilda Solis, Maxine Waters, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Dennis Cardoza, Lynn Woolsey, Buck McKeon, Susan Davis (Contact information below) Message WI WIC faces a funding crisis. Congress must hold WIC harmless from funding cuts in the omnibus funding bill. 2. CC Congress must fund WIC at $5.96 billion with a goal of serving all eligibles or California WIC will have to cut over 128,000 women and children from the Program starting in January! 3. Programs in my county would have to drop service levels by ____ (see County WIC Cuts Chart). It would be unconscionable for WIC to turn any applicants away when they need WIC now for healthy pregnancy and childhood outcomes and hunger prevention. Describe the poor health consequences that result when young mothers and children do not receive WIC's protective nutrition benefits and support services. Timing is critical! THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! For further analysis of the WIC situation, please read this report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. For more information, contact CWA at 916-448-2280 or Laurie True at ltrue@calwic.org. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D) Phone: 202-224-3841 Fax: 202-228-3954 Senator Barbara Boxer (D) Phone: 202-224-3553 Fax: 415-956-6701 (yes, 415 area code) Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D) Phone: 202-225-0100 Click here to find your representative. Appropriations for Simplified Summer Food Program From the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC): In order to improve the chances that funding for the Simplified Summer Food Program (SSFP) will be included either in a separately negotiated Agriculture Appropriations bill or an omnibus funding bill, advocates are urging Members to cosponsor legislation offered by Senator Lugar (R-IN) and Representative Hinchey (D-NY) that would expand the SSFP nationwide (S. 790, H.R. 1740). The House-passed Agriculture Appropriations bill (H.R. 3161) provides for nationwide SSFP expansion; the Senate Appropriations Committee version (S. 1859) omits it. Click here for more info on the SSFP. Click here for more on appropriations updates. *Action* Urge Members of Congress to support including the Simplified Summer Food Program in the final FY 2008 funding bill (either through Agriculture Appropriations or in Omnibus legislation). Ask Members of Congress to cosponsor legislation expanding the SSFP nationwide offered by Senator Lugar (R-IN) (S. 790) and Representative Hinchey (D-NY) (H.R. 1740). OMB Clears WIC Food Package Rule Despite the potential threats to the WIC program described above, WIC got a big boost recently due to news that the Office of Management and Budget cleared the way for a final rule on the improved WIC food package. The new food package demonstrates the importance of this program in ensuring positive health outcomes among low-income women, infants, and children. Read the following good news from the National WIC Association! "NWA learned last week that the White House Office of Management & the Budget (OMB) has completed its review of the proposed Revisions in the WIC Food Packages. The changes are expected to be published in the Federal Register by USDA/FNS as Interim Final Rule as early as this week. Clearance by OMB and publication of the rule will set in motion actions that will initiate implementation of the long-awaited and long advocated changes to the WIC Food Packages, which include among other things fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables. NWA began the journey to transform the WIC food packages over a decade ago, pressing for monumental changes to better reflect the nutritional and dietary needs of the diverse community of WIC families served by the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children (WIC). A key step of this journey will be the publication of these much-needed regulations updating the WIC food packages. We will keep you posted and send out the interim final rule when it is published."	In this issue: WIC Action: Funding Crisis, Potential Caseload Cuts Appropriations for Simplified Summer Food Program OMB Clears WIC Food Package Rule School Food Report Card New Food Insecurity Reports Food Stamp Outreach Grants Announced Preview of CFPA's 2008 Legislative Agenda School Food Report Card According to a report released last week by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, two-thirds of states have weak or no nutrition standards for foods sold outside of school meals. While some states, such as California with a grade of a 'B+', have made significant progress, many states scored a 'C' or worse. This poor performance by so many states across the country underscores the importance of the proposed Harkin-Murkowksi Amendment to the Farm Bill to establish national nutrition standards. This amendment enjoys support from a wide range of organizations, including CFPA, the American Medical Association, the American Public Health Association, the American Association of School Administrators, and the American Federation of Teachers. For a copy of a letter CFPA sent to Senators Feinstein and Boxer on this and other Farm Bill issues, click here. Stay tuned for information on continued advocacy for this and other Farm Bill related issues. New Food Insecurity Reports The Economic Research Service of the USDA recently released its annual report on food insecurity in the nation. Because the national report by the USDA uses a different survey conducted at a different time than the statewide food insecurity report done by UCLA, the specific numbers differ slightly, but the overall trends remain the same. Namely, while the overall rate of food insecurity has declined slightly, those suffering from the worst form of food insecurity, or "Very Low Food Security" (what was formerly termed "hunger"), has actually increased slightly. As this graph demonstrates, trends in the rate of food insecurity are not conforming to the goals set forth by the USDA's Strategic Plan. (Source: U.S. Food Policy, weblog) A recent report by CFPA, Shared Tables, Shared Struggles, further discusses the struggles of low-income households in California face in putting food on the table for themselves and their other household members. Food Stamp Outreach Grants Announced A recent press release from the USDA announced $1 million in food stamp outreach grants: Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Nancy Johner recently announced the availability of at least $1 million in grants for public and private nonprofit community and faith-based organizations to improve awareness of USDA's Food Stamp Program for low-income households. Specifically, these grants will target the two most significantly underserved populations in the Food Stamp Program, seniors and Hispanics. The overall purpose of food stamp outreach is to inform and educate potentially eligible low-income persons about the nutrition benefits of the program, the eligibility rules, and how to apply. State and local food stamp offices and for-profit organizations are not eligible for these grants. Applicants will be eligible to receive up to $75,000 per grant. The grant period will range from 1 to 2 years, depending on the project. USDA encourages community and faith-based organizations to participate in this competition for grants. Checklists, templates, tools, and lists of resources to assist potential applicants complete their proposals can be found online at http://www.grants.gov or on the FNS website at http://www.fns.usda.gov. Preview of CFPA's 2008 Legislative Agenda We've been hard at work crafting our legislative priorities for the coming year. Although the coming year looks grim from a budgetary perspective, we believe that with the right priorities and policies, California can preserve existing positive changes in nutrition policy as well as make advances to improve the health and nutrition of low-income Californians. Check out a brief description of our legislative agenda for the new year.
Copyright © CFPA	Contact: schandran@cfpa.net
If you wish to cancel your subscription to this action alert click here. If you were forwarded this alert and you wish to subscribe, please click here.