WIC Vendor Newsletter
KANSAS NUTRITION AND WIC SERVICES
February 2015
Individual Changes ………………..…….Page 2
Questions and Answers …………………Page 3
More CHANGES!
Really?
Yes. Sometimes change is good and other times it just means more work,
so rarely does someone enjoy hearing more changes are coming.
However, the food rule from 2009 has been made final, so now states
must implement final requirements and this is going to be a year of change!
In 2009 all states had to implement the Fruits and Vegetable Checks (FVCs) and Whole Grains (Bread, Tortillas and Rice.) The food rule also made many more ‘healthy’ recommendations and requirements, one of which
started on October 1, 2014 with clients no longer being allowed 2% milk as a low-fat milk “option.”
What changes are happening next? Starting on March 27, 2015, WIC infants 6 to 12 months will have the
option of getting 4 ‘Fresh’ bananas instead of 4 containers of
baby food. For infants 9 to 12 months, caregivers may choose
to make more of their own baby food and may receive a $4
FVC instead of 4 containers of baby food. The ‘Fresh Only’
FVCs for infants 9 to 12 months old will say ‘Fresh Only’ on the check.
Effective March 27, 2015, Potatoes will also be an authorized fresh, frozen
or canned vegetable. Yes, as part of the legislation that finalized the WIC
food rule, clients will now be able to purchase potatoes. They may buy fresh,
frozen or canned russet, white, red, yellow, blue or purple potatoes. Potatoes will be like any other frozen or
canned vegetable and cannot contain added syrup, sweetener, flavoring, fat, oil, sauce,
meat, pasta, rice or noodles.
There is the potential of adding other food items to the next Kansas WIC authorized food list scheduled for
October 1, 2015. The Kansas WIC program will consider options such as whole wheat pasta and yogurt.
Please circulate the following information amongst your staff and hold a short in-service training with your
cashiers. By March 20, 2015 your store will be getting inserts to put next to the registers for cashiers to use
as we will not be revising the actual program booklets with these changes until October 1, 2015.
Please send any comments/concerns/questions to:
Valerie Merrow at 785-296-0092 or email [email protected]
Bananas
Infants 6 months of age up to 12 months
may receive 4 regular yellow bananas in
place of 4 containers of baby food.
The check will specifically state that the client
can get four bananas. The client will pick up 4
(small, medium or large) regular yellow bananas and the cashier
will put the 4 bananas on the scale and instead of writing an amount on a
check, they will ring up the price as they would any other item on a check.
The infant check will say 4 FRESH regular bananas on it and may only be used for
FRESH regular bananas.
Effective March 27, 2015.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Checks
Infants 9 months of age up to 12 months may
receive a Fruit and Vegetable Check (FVC) in
the amount of $4 or $8 in place of some of the baby food. The FVC for infants will be extremely specific in
that it will say ‘Fresh Only’ and only fresh fruits and vegetables may be purchased with that check.
Effective March 27, 2015.
Potatoes
WIC clients will be able to use their FVCs to purchase
potatoes. They may buy fresh, frozen or canned russet,
white, red, yellow, blue or purple potatoes. Potatoes will be treated like any
other frozen or canned vegetable and clients cannot get potatoes that contain
added syrup, sweetener, flavoring, fat, oil, sauce, meat, pasta, rice
or noodles.
Effective March 27, 2015.
Whole wheat bread, rolls and buns, were added to the food list in 2009.
Initially bread was not available in 16 ounce loaves but now 16 ounce
loaves are available for WIC clients.
Whole Grains
Women are issued 16 ounces of whole grain, unless they are breastfeeding multiple infants, then they are prescribed 24 ounces. Children are issued 32 ounces of whole grain. Grocery stores must have at least two options in the following whole grains and at least one of those must be in a 16 ounce size:
100% Whole Wheat Bread/Buns/Rolls sizes in 12 oz., 16 oz., 20 oz., 24 oz.
100% Whole Wheat Tortillas size in 16 oz.
Corn Tortillas size in 16 oz.
Brown Rice size in 16 oz. (Instant Rice size in 14 oz.—16 oz.)
For checks with 32 ounces on them ways to get to the full benefit are: 16+16 or 12+20
Effective March 27, 2015.
2% Milk
As a reminder on October 1, 2014, the Kansas WIC
program no longer regularly issued/prescribed 2%
milk as one of the “low-fat milk options.” There are medical conditions
that will allow a client to be issued the reduced fat 2% milk.
Effective October 1, 2014.
Reminders

During change it is very important that people take the extra few seconds to review the check twice, with a
particular eye for the words “fresh” and “sizes” issued.

We’ll be scheduling two Vendor Advisory meetings for this year, please let Valerie Merrow know if
you’re interested in serving on the advisory group. (785-296-0092 or [email protected])

Every three years a store’s WIC contract comes up for renewal. If your store is up for renewal you will
receive a monitoring visit and at least one employee must attend a face-to-face training with your local
agency vendor manager. The following counties are in contract renewal and the local agency vendor
manager has until the end of July 2015 to get these visits completed and entered into our data tracking
system (KWIC): Allen, Bourbon, Butler, Crawford, Ellis, Greenwood, Johnson, Miami, Neosho, Osage,
Osborne, Phillips, Rooks, Russell, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Smith, and Wabaunsee .

Every state must be using electronic benefit transfer (EBT) to issue WIC benefits by 2020. The State of
Kansas has entered into a contract with a planning agency and more information will be coming. In the
upcoming year there will be more information about the process and we will be collecting information on
each store’s front end (cash register) systems and contact information for the system.
Question & Answers
Q—If the store is out of the cheapest brand of lactose free milk (store brand), can they go ahead and override
for the Lactaid milk and still get reimbursed for it?
A—Yes, stores should have all milks they carry that are WIC authorized, regardless of the manufacturer, in
the front end system. The State Agency, through the Quarterly Price Assessment (QPA), asks stores to submit
their highest priced milks in the event a client is unable to pick-up the ‘store’ brand and must pick up the higher priced milk. This is also true if the only brand of quarts milk available is Roberts, then the Roberts quart
milk must ring up as WIC authorized. IF the store has concerns with checks rejecting please use this link
to check your current peer group’s pricing, which was updated the week of January 26, 2015.
http://kensas.kdhe.state.ks.us/pls/p11g/WIC_SEARCH
Q—Are potatoes allowed to be purchased with the infants “Fresh” only Fruit and Vegetable check (FVC)?
A—Yes, effective March 27, 2015, clients who are receiving the “Fresh” only FVC may also get potatoes.
Q—If baby food comes in a twin pack (two pack 4 ounce containers), will they qualify?
A—Yes, if the baby food in the twin pack/two pack comes with two individual 4 ounce containers.
The cashier and the client need to remember to count the twin packs as two containers, e.g. check has 16
containers of baby food, the client must only pick up 8 twin packs.
Q—Are English muffins considered a WIC approved bread?
A—No, only 100% Whole Wheat Bread/Rolls/Buns in 12, 16, 20, or 24oz packages are allowable breads. Of
course WIC clients may also purchase Whole Wheat Tortillas, Soft Corn Tortillas, or Brown Rice.
Q—Is applesauce in plastic or glass containers allowed with the Fruit and Vegetable check?
A—Yes, as long as there are no added fats, sugars , oils, or flavors. Applesauce in any container that does not
have added syrup, sweetener, or flavoring, is allowed.
State of Kansas
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
Nutrition and WIC Services
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 220
Topeka, KS 66612-1274
264-19
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LOOK INSIDE FOR OTHER CHANGES!
State Vendor Manager
Valerie Merrow
(785)296-0092
E-mail: [email protected]
Our Mission:
To protect and improve the health and environment
of all Kansans.