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Season Spring 2022
Training Log
This newsletter provides required annual training for any staff who assist with WIC sales in your store. Please have all staff handling WIC transactions and WIC benefits read this newsletter and complete the Training Log. Return the completed log to us by May 31, 2022 and keep a copy for your records. WIC staff will check your training logs during on-site visits.
What is WIC?
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a nutrition program that provides nutrition and health education, breastfeeding support, healthy food and referrals to other services for Maine families that qualify. WIC supports women and children with nutritious foods during critical times of growth and development.
The WIC Program is federally-funded by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services.
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Minimum Inventory Requirements Checklist
Stores are required to stock WIC-approved foods and keep a minimum inventory available. Minimum inventory must be available at the time of application and must be maintained by WIC authorized stores. Minimum Stocking Requirements (PDF)
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WIC provides supplemental foods designed to meet the special nutritional needs
of WIC participants. WIC food categories are:
| • Milk or milk alternatives |
• Beans/ Peas/ Lentils |
• Breakfast Cereal |
| • Cheese/Tofu |
• Whole Grain Items |
• Canned Fish |
| • Eggs |
• Fruits and Vegetables |
• Infant Formula |
| • Peanut Butter |
• Juice |
• Infant Food |
The current Approved Product List (APL) can be found on our website, or identified using the WICShopper App. Check your store’s products with WICShopper App. If the product is not recognized as WIC‐approved, use the “I couldn’t buy this!” to report or send an e‐mail to SubmitUPCWIC@Maine.gov.
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Infant Formula From Authorized Supplier
Infant formula charged to the WIC program must be obtained by the vendor from an authorized supplier. Authorized Infant Formula Supplier List (PDF) Each vendor must maintain inventory records of these purchases for at least three years.
These inventory records include but are not limited to:
- Inventory records showing all infant formula purchases, wholesale and retail, in the form of invoices identifying the wholesale or retail quantity and prices
- Transfer records showing origination, destination, and quantity
- Sales and use tax return
- Books of account
- Other pertinent records necessary to substantiate the volume and the prices charged through WIC food instrument redemption and for determination and verification of whether vendor is an above‐50‐percent vendor.
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WIC Transaction Procedures
The procedure for transacting WIC can be a little different depending on the register system at your store. Please review your store’s procedures on processing a WIC transaction.
However, all stores must:
- Give the WIC customer the balance inquiry receipt.
- Give the customer their mid-transaction receipt and have them verify the items that are approved. Be sure the customer approves the transaction. If the card declines (times out), note the error code, wait about 20 seconds and then have the customer swipe the card again or manually enter the customer’s card number.
- Give the customer their final receipt.
If there are items that the customer believes are WIC-approved but do not ring through, ask the customer to check them on the WIC Shopper App or refer them to their WIC clinic.
Common issues causing rejection of transaction or item:
- Customer has more than the 50 WIC-approved item limit;
- Customer did not accept the mid-transaction in time;
- The fat content of milk or yogurt selected is not the fat content of the milk or yogurt on the participant’s benefit;
- The customer selected items that are on the APL but are not on the participant’s benefit.
WIC cannot pay for bottle deposits or bag fees. Please collect these from the WIC customer.
Remember, WIC customers are not required to buy all the items on their benefit nor are all the items on the WIC APL on the customer’s benefit. Run a balance inquiry for a list of foods currently available on the customer’s benefit.
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Vendor Sanction System
The Maine WIC Program sanction system is predominantly a pattern-based sanction
system. The Program may initiate administrative action to assess a civil money penalty, terminate for cause, or disqualify vendor for non-compliance on the basis of an incident of violation or a pattern of violations.
The Maine WIC Program will issue a warning letter for the initial incident of a state or federal-level violation prior to imposing sanctions, with the following exceptions:
- The Department determines that notification of the vendor will compromise the compliance investigation;
- The violation warrants disqualification after one incident;
- A federal-level mandatory sanction must be imposed after the first incident; or
- The violation is detected as the result of an inventory audit.
Prior to terminating for cause, the WIC Program will consider whether it would result in inadequate participant access. In rare cases, the WIC Program might decide that disqualifying a vendor would cause undue participant hardship. In these situations, the WIC Program might elect to assess a civil money penalty rather than disqualify the vendor.
For more detail, refer to the WIC Program VM-6: Sanction System.
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WIC-Customer Complaints
We would like to know about any problems or concerns you have with WIC customers or processing WIC transactions. The problem may be a misunderstanding. Some customers may be new to WIC or do not understand the Approved Foods List or transaction procedures. Sometimes a WIC customer, or any customer, can be challenging. Please assist them, in a discreet manner, to resolve the conflict. Feel free to report WIC customer issues via WICShopper "Rate or give feedback" or Call: 207-287-3991 or email: WICVendor@maine.gov.
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Claims
If the WIC Program detects overcharges by an authorized vendor, it will
establish a claim against the vendor. The Program will provide the vendor with
an opportunity to justify or correct the vendor overcharges. If satisfied with the
justification or correction, the WIC Program will adjust the proposed claim
accordingly. If following the justification or correction a claim against the
vendor remains, the WIC Program will issue a final claim. The final claim must
be paid within 30 days of issuance or the vendor agreement will be terminated.
Claims against vendors are not subject to administrative appeal.
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Incentive Policy
You cannot offer a WIC customer incentives that you do not offer to all your other customers. You can offer buy-one-get-one and other types of promotions to WIC customers, and you must accept valid manufacturer coupons from WIC customers if you allow these for your other customers. You must always treat a WIC customer the same as you would any other customer.
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Changes to WIC
New Approved Food List
Food Item Waivers
Food Waivers extend until 30 days after the end of the nationally-declared public health emergency. WIC customers will be able to temporarily substitute eligible product. WIC customers can choose:
- Cheese - one 12 ounce package
- Eggs - two 6-count or one 18-count egg carton
- Whole Wheat/Whole Grain Bread - an authorized whole grain in package sizes up to 24 ounces:
- Great Value Whole Wheat Bread 20 Oz
- Nature’s Own 100% Whole Grain Bread 20 Oz
- Nature’s Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread 20 Oz
- Pepperidge Farm whole Grain Soft Sprouted Bread 22 Oz
- Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat Bread 20 Oz
- Signature Select 100% Whole Wheat Bread 22 Oz
- Wonder 100% Whole Wheat Bread 20 Oz
Cash Value Benefit (CVB) Increase
Per the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ‐ Maine will temporarily increase the Cash‐Value Benefits (CVB) for fruit and vegetable through September 30, 2022.
Mapping is critical for produce which have store generated. UPCs which are not recognized by the WIC Approved Products List (APL). UPCs for fresh produce items frequently change and UPCs not in the WIC Approved Products List (APL) are denied. Please assist WIC families purchasing fresh produce with UPCs
by mapping any new products received.
Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustments
for 2022 Here is the link https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wpm-2022-4.
Abbott Voluntarily Formula Recall
learn more click here
New WIC Staff
The State Agency is happy to announce that Carla Salerno has joined our team as Vendor Specialist. Welcome Carla! You may reach Carla Salerno at 287-5367 or carla.salerno@maine.gov.
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Non-Discrimination Statement
Maine WIC Nutrition Program
Department of Health & Human Services
Center for Disease Control & Prevention
286 Water Street
Augusta, ME 04330
207-287-3991 1-800-437-9300
TTY: Maine Relay 711
email: WICVendor@maine.gov
website: Maine.gov/WIC
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