1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

With millions of low-income families relying on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) for nutritious foods, the proposed cuts to the program's fruit and vegetable benefits are alarming. The Trump Administration's budget request for fiscal year 2026 seeks to slash WIC's Cash Value Benefits (CVB) for fruits and vegetables by two-thirds, directly removing healthy food options from the plates of mothers and young children facing nutritional risk. Numerous food and nutrition organizations have spoken out against these harmful cuts. The benefits provide a critical nutrition boost for young children's development and support healthier pregnancies and birth outcomes. Reducing access to fresh produce through WIC would undermine efforts to improve children's health by promoting better diets and risk higher rates of diet-related issues like obesity down the line. Research overwhelmingly shows WIC's positive impact on maternal and child health outcomes. Cutting funding fails to uphold the bipartisan commitment to ensuring all eligible families can access the full range of WIC's nutritional assistance. With nearly half of U.S. children already failing to consume a daily serving of vegetables, slashing WIC's fruit and vegetable benefits would only exacerbate this alarming nutrition gap and associated health disparities among a vulnerable population. The administration's stated goal of "Making America Healthy Again" directly contradicts these proposed cuts which would deprive low-income families of vital nutrition during critical developmental periods. A strong investment in WIC's produce benefits is essential for connecting children to farm-fresh foods, supporting their long-term well-being, and building a healthier future for our nation. This proposal must be rejected to protect the health and food security of millions.