Bush backs nutrition program
President Bush will propose record-level funding for USDA's Women,
Infants and Children (WIC) nutritional program as part of his 2004
budget request.
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced yesterday that President Bush will propose record-level funding for USDA's Women, Infants and Children (WIC) nutritional program as part of his 2004 budget request.
The $4.77 billion request is a $43 million increase over the 2003 request and represents a $737 million increase since FY 2000, according to the department. The request includes an additional $25 million to support child obesity prevention projects and breastfeeding programs, as well as supports a $150 million contingency fund to cover additional WIC participants if needed.
Veneman said: "Since taking office the President has recognized the success of the WIC program." The public health nutrition program provides supplemental food and individualized nutrition education and counseling, as well as critical referrals to other health care and social service assistance programs, for at-risk, low-income pregnant women and new mothers, and for infants and children up to age five.
The President's new budget will allow local WIC programs to provide benefits to nearly 8 million low-income mothers and children in 2004. Veneman said that the additional funding will go a long way in supporting the HealthierUS Initiative, the President's health and fitness challenge that includes recommendations for improving overall health and preventing disease.
The USDA recently launched a new partnership with the "5-A-Day for Better Health Campaign," which emphasizes the importance of eating five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. It has also spearheaded several initiatives aimed at combating the growing prevalence of overweight and obese children in America.
