NEWSLETTER FOR VENDORS
volume 15 issue 4
Dear WIC Authorized Vendors,
This edition of the WIC Matters newsletter contains several updates. I wanted
to take a moment to thank you for attending one of the training sessions that
we held earlier this year. We have summarized some of the key information
from these training sessions below. Also in this newsletter, you will find
additional information on eWIC, the WIC Food Finder App, some changes to
the WIC allowed foods, and an initial notice about some possible changes to
the WIC rules. Please let us know if you have any comments or questions on
these items.
Sincerely,
Rick Chiat
WIC Food Delivery Unit Supervisor
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic
SEPTEMBER 2015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Page 1: 2015 Group Training Follow Up
Page 2: Shelf Price Survey Due October 23
eWIC Survey Update
Rules Update
Phone App Now Statewide
State WIC Office Staff Change
Did You Know?
Page 3: Food Product Updates
2015 Group Training Follow Up
Thank you to all who attended the 2015 group training for WIC vendors! We appreciate your
commitment to the WIC program and hope you found the sessions informative. Below you will
find clarification on some of the key information presented at the training sessions.
 Maximum Prices: WIC maximum
price guidelines are established through the WIC shelf price survey
process and updated twice a year. Maximum price lists are found online at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/rqrmnts/guidelines.html
 Egg Pricing: As we follow the current egg market,
price guidelines for eggs may continue to fluctuate.
The next price adjustment will be in November 2015. Check the Important Vendor News section of our
website for updates at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/important.html
 Save Invoices and Receipts: Remember
that stores are required to keep and save invoices and receipts
for all WIC foods that are available for purchase at the store. These receipts and invoices must be kept in
date order for 3 years.
 Checking Signatures: Stores may never ask WIC shoppers for a driver’s license to compare signatures
on vouchers. If a customer does not have a WIC ID folder or has not signed the WIC ID folder, the
vouchers cannot be redeemed.
 Formula Listed on Voucher: Make sure customers only purchase the specific size, type and amount of
formula listed on the voucher. Stores must reimburse the WIC program for incorrect items provided.
Repeated instances can result in the termination of the store’s WIC agreement.
 Resources Available Online:
Minnesota WIC vendor materials including a WIC voucher template for
training store personnel can be printed or ordered off of the website at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/index.html.
The Store Cashier Training DVD can also be ordered from our website or it can be viewed online by
accessing the following link: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/dvd.html
Questions or feedback about the training sessions? Please contact Emily Gomez at: [email protected]
PAGE 2
WICMATTERS SEPTEMBER 2015
Shelf Price Survey due October 23
Phone App Now Statewide
Earlier this month, each retail food store
received a Shelf Price Survey (either directly
or through your store’s corporate office).
Please complete and return the survey by
October 23, 2015. The WIC Maximum Price
List is updated based on these survey results and will be posted
in the Important Vendor News section of the web site in
November. We will carefully review egg prices on this survey.
The Minnesota WIC My Food Finder
App for Apple and Android devices
that scans UPC codes and identifies
whether or not a food is WIC allowed.
The app went statewide on July 1 and
has been downloaded over 2,500
times so far and has received high
ratings from those using it. Try it out!
The current Maximum Price List can be found on the
Requirements and Responsibilities page of our website at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/rqrmnts/newp
rcng.pdf
A flyer that describes how to
download and use the app has been given to WIC
participants, and the flyers are also available for
stores to order at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/co
mm/ordering.html
eWIC Survey Update
Thank you to all who completed our recent
vendor technology survey.
We received
responses from over 750 WIC authorized
vendors including our largest and smallest
vendors. We are currently reviewing the
information and working to determine the eWIC solution that will
work best in Minnesota. Stay tuned for a more in-depth
summary of survey responses. Many vendors submitted
questions through the survey tool. Frequently asked questions
and answers can be accessed online at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/ewic/faqs.html
Beginning of Process to Update WIC
Rules
We are beginning to work on updating the state rules that
govern the WIC Program in Minnesota. These updates are
necessary to make our rules consistent with changes in federal
law, and to begin incorporating language about the WIC
Program’s future use of an electronic benefits system (“eWIC”).
In the next few months we will send you a “request for
comments”, inviting you to review and propose changes to the
rules. As we continue to work on the potential changes, we will
provide additional information and give you other opportunities
to participate in reviewing the proposed rules changes.
We will also be maintaining information on our website about
the rulemaking process. Please check the Important Vendor
News section of our website for periodic updates.
As we consider changes to the WIC rules, we will be meeting
and working with the WIC Vendor Advisory Group to get their
input, feedback and ideas. If you would be interested in
participating on the Vendor Advisory Group, please contact Rick
Chiat at 651-201-4401.
If you have an item in your store you think should be
WIC allowed but it does not scan as WIC allowed
when using the app, please send an email to:
[email protected]
State WIC Office
Staff Change
Theresa Graham, WIC Vendor
Specialist, has moved on to a
new job opportunity after 17
years with the State WIC
program. We will miss Theresa and wish her well in
her new job. She has helped many of you with your
questions and in resolving voucher errors. Until
Theresa’s replacement is hired, you can direct calls
on these topics to Rick Chiat at 651-201-4401.
Did You Know?
About 120,000 Minnesota women, infants and
children (up to the age of 5) receive WIC services
each month. The distribution is approximately as
follows:
WICMATTERS SEPTEMBER 2015
PAGE 3
UPC/WIC-Allowed Food Product Updates
The online UPC listing of WIC allowed foods is frequently revised. Changes are posted to our website
about once a month. If you would like to receive notification when these UPC/Product changes are
posted online, please send an email to: [email protected]
UPC/Product Updates can be found on the website at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/fpchng/upc/updates/index.html
Gerber Infant Fruits and Vegetables
•
As a reminder, Gerber infant fruits and vegetables continue to transition to 2- packs of 4 ounce
containers. One Gerber 2-pack of 4 oz. containers is equal to two 4 oz. jars of baby food.
•
Gerber 4 oz. glass jars of infant fruits and vegetables are being discontinued September 30, 2015. The 4
oz. jars will continue to be WIC allowed until they are no longer available.
•
Gerber 2- packs of 3.5 oz. tubs are being discontinued and are NOT WIC allowed
•
Gerber 2-packs of 5 oz. tubs (3rd Foods) are NOT WIC allowed
A complete list of WIC allowed infant foods is available at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/fpchng/upc/download/infantpdf.cfm
New UPC for Juicy Juice 64 ounce Shelf Stable Apple Juice
Juicy Juice brand 64 ounce shelf stable apple juice has a new label with a new UPC.
The new UPC is: 8 8949700824 5. Only the packaging has changed, the product is the same, and both labels
and UPCs are WIC allowed during the change from one label to the other. Please note that apple juice is the
only flavor of Juicy Juice that is WIC allowed – all other flavors are blends, which are not WIC allowed.
Gluten Free Chex Oatmeal Discontinued in October
Gluten Free Chex Oatmeal will be discontinued as of October 19, 2015.
This item remains WIC Allowed until all product is sold out.
Similac Formula Labels are Changing – Product Names, Sizes and UPCs Remain the Same
Beginning in December of 2015, you will see a new label on several Similac formula products. The product
names, product sizes and UPCs will remain the same. The products involved in this label change include:
Similac Advance, Similac Sensitive, Similac For Spit Up, Similac Total Comfort. More information about
this label change will be provided in the next WIC Matters Newsletter.
Reminder: 59 ounce Orange Juice is Not WIC Allowed
Please note that 59 ounce refrigerated orange juice is NOT WIC allowed. Minute Maid, Tropicana,
Florida’s Natural and Dole are NOT WIC allowed. This change was made in 2013. WIC allowed refrigerated
orange juice and shelf stable juices must be packaged in a 64 ounce container.
MINNESOTA WIC PROGRAM
85 East Seventh Place Suite 220
PO Box 64882
St. Paul MN 55164-0882
Minnesota WIC Program
Address
85 East Seventh Place
Suite 220
PO Box 64882
St Paul MN 55164-0882
Website
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic
Phone
651-201-4404
Toll free: 1-800-657-3942
Fax
651-215-8951
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO 171
TWIN CITIES MN
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees,
and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender
identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status,
sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program,
or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the
Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or
at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all
of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected].
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO
or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800)
845-6136 (in Spanish).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.