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Spring 2024
50 Years
Now in its 50th year, WIC is a one-of-a-kind program that is constantly evolving to meet the unique needs of mothers and families in underserved communities. Visit
WIC50th.nwica.org to learn more.
50th Celebration Videos
Why WIC Matters
The First WIC Clinic
The Impact of Nutrition Education in WIC
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Update Hours
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Update your Sales Site information in Farmer Portal by April 30, 2024.
Let us know:
- Physical Address
- Phone Number
- Start and End of Season
- Hours and Days of Operation
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Note:
- Sun 12-3; or By appointment only; or Daily
- 2024-2025 winter hours
- Inform Maine WIC Vendor Team WICVendor@maine.gov of any schedule or location change
- Order WIC Farmer Materials here: https://forms.office.com/g/qiP5m9h5nT
To connect to your WIC Farmer account, use the email address on file with Maine WIC Nutrition Program. Feel free to join us virtually via Microsoft Teams on Tuesdays from 1:00pm to 1:30pm in the month of April Click here to join the meeting with any questions.
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 S3MerchantLink
Password Expired
(If you have not used S3ML in the past 30 days)
- Change Password in the S3 Merchant Dashboard
- Uninstall S3ML App
- Install S3ML App
- Must allow phone setting access to camera
- Must allow phone setting access to location
- Log In - Use your unique username on the envelope icon, not the email.
WIC Participants - BNFT APP
When you get new WIC customers, they must provide the Farmer Barcode from their BNFT app to redeem with an authorized WIC approved farmer. Direct New WIC customers to load BNFT app from the poster's QR Code to their device. Display the yellow poster in an area away from the customer point of sale line. Participants can review it and then try to complete the download process independently.
Bonus Information: a participant can learn the steps to set up a BNFT account - view our video guide
http://mybnft.com/
Maine WIC YouTube Page- translated videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@mainewic3563
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The Purpose of
WIC Nutrition Program
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.
The Purpose of The
Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), like WIC, is a program of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. Combined with Maine’s WIC Nutrition Program, its focus is to increase the use of fresh, unprocessed, locally grown fruits and vegetables by WIC participants.
The second purpose of the program is to increase WIC participants’ awareness of Farmers Markets and local foods.
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Maine WIC Approved Fruit and Vegetable
WIC General Produce
Authorized WIC farmers are to redeem the regular Maine WIC Fruit and Vegetable Benefit, also known as a Cash Value Benefit (CVB). These benefits are distributed to WIC participants year-round.
- Any type or variety
- Conventional or Organic
- Bagged fruits and vegetables
- Cut fruit and vegetables (without dip)
- Garlic (not on a string)
Not allowed:
- Decorative or painted vegetables/pumpkins.
Maine FMNP Approved Fruit and Vegetable
ME Grown Produce
Maine WIC Farmers must:
- Grow at least 50% of the produce for sale to WIC customers.
- Label any produce that was grown by someone else with the name and
location of the farm it came from or label local.
FMNP benefits can be used to purchase fresh, unprocessed Maine-grown fruits and vegetables from a WIC authorized farmer. These are examples of foods that can be purchased using FMNP benefits:
| Apples |
Artichokes |
Asparagus |
| Beans (green or yellow) |
Beets |
Beet Greens |
| Blackberries |
Blueberries |
Bok Choy |
| Broccoli |
Brussels Sprouts |
Cabbage |
| Carrots |
Cauliflower |
Celery |
| Corn |
Cranberries |
Cucumbers |
| Eggplant |
Garlic |
Grapes |
| Greens |
Herbs (fresh only) |
Kohlrabi |
| Leeks |
Lettuce |
Melons |
| Mushrooms |
Onions |
Parsnips |
| Pears |
Peas |
Peppers |
| Plums |
Potatoes |
Pumpkins |
| Radishes |
Raspberries |
Rhubarb |
| Rutabaga |
Scallions |
Shallots |
| Spinach |
Strawberries |
Squash (summer or winter) |
| Tomatoes |
Turnips |
Zucchini |
The following are examples of foods that cannot be purchased with FMNP benefits:
| Baked Goods |
Bananas |
Bedding |
| Canned Goods |
Cheese |
Cider |
| Dried Beans |
Dried Herbs |
Eggs |
| Honey |
Jams/Jellies |
Lemons/Limes |
| Maple Syrup |
Meats |
Milk |
| Nuts |
Oranges |
Pickles |
| Plants (any kind) |
Seafood |
Sweets/Candies |
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1. WIC customer will provide a barcode
(generated by their mobile app or printed).
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2. On you smart phone open S3 Merchant Link mobile
app. Select Purchase from the main menu.
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3. Purchase screen displays transaction tips. Once read, select Continue.
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4. Card Scanner screen displays. Scan the cardholder’s barcode on their Bnft mobile app or from a printout (obtained from the cardholder portal) and select Continue.
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5. Scan Products screen displays at the bottom of screen select Produce Item.
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6. Scan Products screen displays complete benefit detail. Enter the Item Price and select the appropriate Produce/Category from the list. ME Grown Produce or WIC General Produce select Continue
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7. Scan Products screen displays the entered produce and price for verification.
To enter more items, select Add More Items and repeat previous step, or to complete the transaction, select Continue.
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8. Send Receipt screen displays. Enter receipt method email or no receipt. Select option and submit transaction.
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9. Transaction Summary screen displays.
Select one of the following options:
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OK – Select this option if all items are eligible for the purchase (i.e., displayed in green) and the cardholder wants to proceed
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Void Transaction – Select this option if an item is ineligible (i.e., displayed in red) or the cardholder wants to void the transaction for whatever reason
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10. Pop-up screen will display selected option.
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Purchase Transaction - Purchase successfully processed
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Void Last Transaction -You are requesting to void the last transaction with a value of $#.00 completed on MM/DD/YY at hh:mm.
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Incentives
WIC farmers cannot offer a WIC customer incentives that you do not offer to all your other customers. You must always treat a WIC customer the same as you would any other customer.
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Claims
If the WIC Program detects overcharges by an authorized farmer, it will
establish a claim against the farmer. The Program will provide the farmer with
an opportunity to justify or correct the farmer 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
farmer remains, the WIC Program will issue a final claim. The final claim must
be paid within 30 days of issuance or the farmer agreement will be terminated.
Claims against farmer are not subject to administrative appeal.
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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 farmer 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 farmer 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 farmer would cause undue participant hardship. In these situations, the WIC Program might elect to assess a civil money penalty rather than disqualify the farmer.
For more detail, refer to the FMNP 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 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 Call: 207-287-3991 or email:WICVendor@maine.gov.
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Civil Rights
Non-Discrimination
The farmer must comply with the following requirements to ensure that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation, be excluded from participation, be denied food, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination, under the Civil Rights Act. Find out more at hhs.gov/civil-rights.
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Good to know
Equitable Treatment- Treat WIC customer as any other customer. Same quality and cost as that sold to other customers.
Bag Fees – WIC does not cover bag fees. The customer must pay the bag fees. Never provide a cash refund to the WIC customer for items purchased with WIC of FMNP benefits.
Substitutions - WIC customers can only buy what is listed on their benefits available balance. No substitutions are allowed.
Full purchase - WIC customers are not required to buy full WIC or FMNP benefit available.
Rain check - farmers are not to issue "rain checks" for any WIC or FMNP food. WIC customers can use those benefits elsewhere or at another time (before the benefit expiration date).
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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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