Month: April 2025

Formula Safety: What Parents Need to Know

Posted on | by Kelly | Leave a Comment on Formula Safety: What Parents Need to Know

The California Department of Public Health/WIC has received questions about the Consumer Reports article dated March 18, 2025, about lead and arsenic in infant formulas.

USDA and FDA Infant Formula Safety and Regulations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates infant formula to make sure it’s safe and of good quality. If a formula is unsafe, the FDA takes immediate action to remove it from the market. As a result of the article mentioned above, the FDA has not determined that any infant formulas currently available in the U.S. are unsafe or require market removal.

The United States Department of Agriculture/Food and Nutrition Services (USDA/FNS) oversees WIC and follows FDA rules for infant formula and food safety. These rules shape policies, guidance, and nutrition education for nutrition education programs. The FDA recommends a balanced diet to stay healthy and avoid risks from eating too much of any one food.

WIC is in close communication with the USDA/FNS and will share updated guidance as more information becomes available.

WIC recommends that families concerned about their infant formula talk about this with their pediatricians.

Resources:

Tips for reducing exposure to heavy metals:

  • Breastfeed, if possible, to reduce exposure. A Breastfeeding Peer Counselor or Lactation Consultant can help increase breastfeeding. Call (888) 278-6455 to get breastfeeding support and schedule an appointment at a WIC breastfeeding clinic.
  • Do not make your own baby formula or offer alternative beverages in place of breastmilk or formula.
  • Offer a variety of foods, including varying infant cereals like oatmeal or multigrain.
  • Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables, including waiting until 12 months to introduce fruit juice and offering different types of juice.
  • Make healthy fish choices such as light tuna (solid or chunk), salmon, cod, whitefish, and pollock.
  • Check your tap or well water for heavy metals. Reach out to your local health department for more information.
  • Keep the test results from the article in perspective. Environmental pollutants are found in many foods and are not limited to just baby food and formula.

More Families Now Qualify for WIC

Posted on | by Michelle | Leave a Comment on More Families Now Qualify for WIC

WIC announced new income guidelines starting April 1, 2025, which will qualify more families for the program. This increase means more families are eligible to receive healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and more from WIC. As families face job uncertainties, inflation, and rising food costs, the number of those served grows each month. Phone and video appointments offer convenient options for working parents and busy families, while in-person appointments are available at our 29 offices.

To qualify for WIC, a family must have an income that is less than the limits listed below and be in a category WIC serves. A family or individual may be eligible if they:

  • Have a child under the age of five
  • Are pregnant
  • Are breastfeeding a baby under the age of one
  • Had a baby within the last six months
  • Experienced a pregnancy loss/termination within the last six months

Not enrolled in WIC? Apply now! Families who previously did not qualify for WIC are encouraged to reapply again if they are within the new income limits.

Need to renew your WIC account? Text APPT with your preferred date and time to 91997 to schedule an appointment.

The new income limits are effective starting April 1, 2025. Families must make no more than the amount listed below per household size. WIC uses gross income (before taxes) to determine a household's income. Families who already receive Medi-Cal, CalFresh, or CalWORKS may already meet the income guidelines for WIC. Participating in other benefit programs does not affect the amount of WIC benefits you receive, and you may participate in multiple benefit programs at once.

Household Size**
Annual
Monthly
Twice-Monthly
Bi-Weekly
Weekly
1$28,953$2,413$1,207$1,114$557
2$39,128$3,261$1,631$1,505$753
3$49,303$4,109$2,055$1,897$949
4$59,478$4,957$2,479$2,288$1,144
5$69,653$5,805$2,903$2,679$1,340
6$79,828$6,653$3,327$3,071$1,536
7$90,003$7,501$3,751$3,462$1,731
8$100,178$8,349$4,175$3,853$1,927
More than 8Add per additional member
+$10,175+$848+$424+$392+$196
*Income based on 185% Federal Poverty Level, effective April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026
** Unborn fetuses may be counted toward household size.

Proof of income must include your full name or the full name of the person supporting the family. Below are examples that may be used for proof of income, but are not limited to these examples. 

Examples:

  • Active Medi-Cal, CalFresh, or CalWORKs
  • Pay stub or statement from the last 30 days
  • Disability pay
  • Unemployment benefits
  • Social Security benefits
  • Income tax form/W2 
  • Alimony
  • Bank account statement (use of savings)
  • Child support
  • Foster care stipend letter
  • Student financial grants/scholarships

If you do not have a document available, you will have 30 days to provide one after we complete your enrollment. Tell your WIC counselor during your appointment if you cannot provide a document. WIC will generally accept a sworn statement as a last resort.

Your household includes related or nonrelated individuals that you live with and share an income, consumption of goods, and or/services. Your household size would include, but not be limited to:

  • Your children
  • A spouse or partner
  • Relatives you claim on your taxes

Unborn fetuses may be counted toward household size.

For foster children, the household size is one.