ESTIMATING ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION IN WIC: FOOD ASSISTANCE RESEARCH BRIEF

Victor Oliveira and James R. Blaylock

No 33881, Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Reports from United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service

Abstract: Each year, the United States Department of Agriculture estimates the number of people eligible to participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the number who will likely participate, and the expected cost of food. These estimates are used in developing budget requests for WIC, which is funded by appropriations law on an annual basis. If the number of people eligible and likely to participate in WIC is underestimated, the result is a shortage of funds available to fully serve them. If the number of WIC eligibles and participants is overestimated, an inefficient allocation of funds across programs occurs. Estimation of eligibility and participation is a complex process, due to data limitations, varying State program eligibility criteria, and alternate definitions of key variables.

Keywords: Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety; Food Security and Poverty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 2
Date: 2003
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:uersfa:33881

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.33881

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