Imported Infant Formula and Flexibilities in the WIC Program

Infant Formula Imported Under FDA Flexibilities

To increase the diversity of and support a stable supply of infant formula in the U.S., the FDA allowed certain infant formula products to be imported, sold, and/or distributed in the U.S. under enforcement discretion. The FDA maintains a complete list of infant formulas approved for import to the U.S. and is working with manufacturers who have expressed interest in taking steps to remain in the U.S. market.

USDA guidance waives certain regulatory requirements to allow WIC state agencies to authorize and issue certain infant formulas imported under the FDA's Infant Formula Enforcement Discretion Policy.

WIC aims to safeguard the health of participants who are at nutritional risk. Therefore, these waivers may only be used to authorize and issue products that have an iron level of at least 0.60 mg/100 mL and an energy level of at least 19 kcal/oz.

A list of WIC-eligible formulas imported under FDA's enforcement discretion is provided below. WIC state agencies may add these formulas to their state approved lists if the state agency has:

• opted into the imported formula enforcement discretion nationwide waiver,
• appropriate contract modifications or written agreements in place with their contracted infant formula manufacturer.

WIC state agencies may access additional product information for WIC-eligible formulas on USDA's PartnerWeb (login required). Distribution of products with enforcement discretion may vary geographically.

Flexibilities in the WIC Program

FNS granted WIC State agencies certain waivers during the formula shortage. See below for more information about these waivers, and which state agencies were granted waivers.

Imported Infant Formula under FDA's Infant Formula Enforcement Discretion

WIC state agencies that opt into this nationwide waiver may issue certain imported formulas.

States & Territories

ITOs

Medical Documentation

Allows participants to receive a different brand of formula without a doctor's note.

The Medical Documentation waivers I & II can be found here.

Granted May 23, 2022

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians WIC
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians WIC

Granted May 20, 2022

Alabama WIC
Georgia WIC
Mississippi WIC
North Carolina WIC

Granted May 18, 2022

Florida WIC
Indiana WIC
Ohio WIC
New Jersey WIC

Granted May 17, 2022

Michigan WIC
South Carolina WIC

Granted May 13, 2022

New York State WIC

Granted March 23, 2022

Muscogee Creek Nation WIC

Granted Feb. 28, 2022

Arkansas WIC

Granted Feb. 25, 2022

Citizen Potawatomi Nation WIC
Colorado WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Oklahoma WIC
Wichita, Caddo, and Delaware Tribes WIC

Granted Feb. 24, 2022

Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council WIC

Granted Feb. 23, 2022

California WIC
Chickasaw Nation WIC
Otoe Missouria WIC

Granted Feb. 22, 2022

Arizona WIC
New Mexico WIC
Oklahoma WIC
Omaha Nation WIC
Rosebud Sioux Tribe WIC

Granted Feb. 21, 2022

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma WIC
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma WIC
Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. WIC
Louisiana WIC
Maine WIC
Navajo Nation WIC
Osage Nation WIC
Pueblo of Isleta WIC
Texas WIC
Utah WIC
Washington WIC
Pueblo of Zuni WIC

Granted Feb. 20, 2022

Alaska WIC
American Samoa WIC
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands WIC
Connecticut WIC
Delaware WIC
District of Columbia WIC
Guam WIC
Hawaii WIC
Idaho WIC
Iowa WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada WIC
Kansas WIC
Kentucky WIC
Maryland WIC
Massachusetts WIC
Minnesota WIC
Missouri WIC
Montana WIC
Nebraska WIC
Nevada WIC
New Hampshire WIC
North Dakota WIC
Oregon WIC
Pennsylvania WIC
Rhode Island WIC
South Dakota WIC
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe WIC
Tennessee WIC
U.S. Virgin Islands WIC
Vermont WIC
Virginia WIC
West Virginia WIC
Wisconsin WIC
Wyoming WIC

Maximum Monthly Allowance: Food Packages I & II

Allows participants to receive alternate container sizes -- including those that are bigger than usual - and different forms, like ready to feed.

The Maximum Monthly Allowance waiver can be found here.

Granted July 20, 2022

Puerto Rico WIC

Granted May 24, 2022

Pleasant Point Health Center WIC

Granted May 23, 2022

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians WIC
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians WIC

Granted May 20, 2022

Alabama WIC
Georgia WIC
Mississippi WIC
New York WIC

Granted May 19, 2022

Illinois WIC

Granted May 18, 2022

Florida WIC
Indiana WIC
Ohio WIC
New Jersey WIC
Santee Sioux Nation WIC

Granted May 17, 2022

Eastern Shoshone WIC
North Carolina WIC
South Carolina WIC

Granted March 23, 2022

Muscogee Creek Nation WIC

Granted March 8, 2022

Northern Arapaho WIC

Granted Feb. 28, 2022

Arkansas WIC

Granted Feb. 25, 2022

Citizen Potawatomi Nation WIC
Colorado WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Oklahoma WIC
Wichita, Caddo, and Delaware Tribes WIC

Granted Feb. 24, 2022

Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council WIC

Granted Feb. 23, 2022

California WIC
Chickasaw Nation WIC
Otoe Missouria WIC
Pueblo of Isleta WIC
Three Affiliated Tribes WIC
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe WIC
Winnebago Tribe WIC

Granted Feb. 22, 2022

Arizona WIC
New Mexico WIC
Oklahoma WIC
Omaha Nation WIC
Rosebud Sioux Tribe WIC

Granted Feb. 21, 2022

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma WIC
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma WIC
Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. WIC
Louisiana WIC
Maine WIC
Navajo Nation WIC
Osage Nation WIC
Texas WIC
Utah WIC
Washington WIC
Pueblo of Zuni WIC

Granted Feb. 20, 2022

Alaska WIC
American Samoa WIC
Commonwealth of the Northern Marianna Islands WIC
Connecticut WIC
Delaware WIC
District of Columbia WIC
Guam WIC
Hawaii WIC
Idaho WIC
Iowa WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada WIC
Kansas WIC
Kentucky WIC
Maryland WIC
Massachusetts WIC
Michigan WIC
Minnesota WIC
Missouri WIC
Montana WIC
Nebraska WIC
Nevada WIC
New Hampshire WIC
North Dakota WIC
Oregon WIC
Pennsylvania WIC
Rhode Island WIC
South Dakota WIC
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe WIC
Tennessee WIC
U.S. Virgin Islands WIC
Vermont WIC Virginia WIC
West Virginia WIC
Wisconsin WIC
Wyoming WIC

Maximum Monthly Allowance: Food Package III

Maximum monthly allowance (MMA) for infants in Food Package III can be found here.

Granted July 27, 2022

Nebraska WIC

Granted July 20, 2022

Puerto Rico WIC

Granted June 28, 2022

Florida WIC
Iowa WIC

Granted June 24, 2022

Alaska WIC
Kentucky WIC

Granted June 22, 2022

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians WIC
Tennessee WIC
Wisconsin WIC
Washington WIC

Granted June 9, 2022

Texas WIC

Granted June 3, 2022

Idaho WIC
Minnesota WIC

Granted June 2, 2022

Arkansas WIC
Osage Nation WIC
Rhode Island WIC
South Dakota WIC

Granted June 1, 2022

Arizona WIC
Chickasaw Nation WIC
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma WIC
Citizen Potawatomi Nation WIC
Connecticut WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona WIC
Navajo Nation WIC
New Mexico WIC
Oklahoma WIC
Otoe-Missouria WIC
Wichita, Caddo, and Delaware Tribes WIC
Wyoming WIC

Granted May 31, 2022

Colorado WIC
Indiana WIC
Montana WIC
New York WIC
Ohio WIC
Vermont WIC

Granted May 27, 2022

California WIC
Michigan WIC
New Hampshire WIC

Granted May 23, 2022

Delaware WIC
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians WIC
Massachusetts WIC
North Carolina WIC
Pennsylvania WIC

Vendor Exchanges

Allows stores to exchange recalled formula purchased with WIC benefits.

The Vendor Exchanges waiver can be found here.

Granted May 24, 2022

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians WIC
Pleasant Point Health Center WIC

Granted May 23, 2022

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians WIC

Granted May 18, 2022

Santee Sioux Nation WIC

Granted March 23, 2022

Muscogee Creek Nation WIC

Granted March 8, 2022

Northern Arapaho WIC

Granted March 3, 2022

Alabama WIC

Granted March 1, 2022

North Carolina WIC

Granted Feb. 28, 2022

Arkansas WIC

Granted Feb. 25, 2022

Citizen Potawatomi Nation WIC
Colorado WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Oklahoma WIC
New York WIC
Wichita, Caddo, and Delaware Tribes WIC

Granted Feb. 24, 2022

Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council WIC
Florida WIC
Georgia WIC
Mississippi WIC
South Carolina WIC

Granted Feb. 23, 2022

Chickasaw Nation WIC
Ohio WIC
Otoe Missouria WIC
Three Affiliated Tribes WIC
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe WIC
Winnebago Tribe WIC

Granted Feb. 22, 2022

Arizona WIC
California WIC
Indiana WIC
New Jersey WIC
New Mexico WIC
Oklahoma WIC
Omaha Nation WIC
Puerto Rico WIC
Rosebud Sioux Tribe WIC

Granted Feb. 21, 2022

Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma WIC
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma WIC
Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. WIC
Louisiana WIC
Maine WIC
Navajo Nation WIC
Osage Nation WIC
Pueblo of Isleta WIC
Texas WIC
Utah WIC
Washington WIC
Pueblo of Zuni WIC

Granted Feb. 20, 2022

Alaska WIC
American Samoa WIC
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands WIC
Connecticut WIC
Delaware WIC
District of Columbia WIC
Guam WIC
Hawaii WIC
Idaho WIC
Iowa WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona WIC
Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada WIC
Kansas WIC
Kentucky WIC
Maryland WIC
Massachusetts WIC
Michigan WIC
Minnesota WIC
Missouri WIC
Montana WIC
Nebraska WIC
Nevada WIC
New Hampshire WIC
North Dakota WIC
Oregon WIC
Pennsylvania WIC
Rhode Island WIC
South Dakota WIC
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe WIC
Tennessee WIC
U.S. Virgin Islands WIC
Vermont WIC
Virginia WIC
West Virginia WIC
Wisconsin WIC
Wyoming WIC

Vendor Substitutions During Transaction

Allows stores to substitute formula manually when online benefit technology isn't available. Note: this waiver is not necessary for most state agencies.

The vendor formula substitutions waiver can be found here.

Granted March 3, 2022

Texas WIC

Infant Formula in the CACFP

For the Child and Adult Care Food Program, FNS has issued Questions and Answers to help program operators continue to serve infants in CACFP during the formula shortage as well as guidance on the use of infant formulas imported as part of the FDA's 2022 Infant Formula Enforcement Discretion Policy.