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Heinrich Secures Funding For WIC, Allocates $11.2 Million in FY24
Heinrich has received full funding for the WIC program to continue to provide nutritious food to mothers, infants, and children.

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Washington- U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), serving on the Senate Appropriations Committee and as Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, announced the Agriculture Appropriations bill authored by him and led in bipartisan negotiations enacted into law by President Biden.
Heinrich has managed to secure full funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), serving nearly 7 Million women and children nationwide.
Heinrich said, “As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, I am focused on delivering for American families, farmers and producers, and rural communities. Though we had to make some tough decisions to get there, this bill gets that done. I am especially proud that we stood firm to fully fund WIC and the other programs that will help put food on the table for America’s kids. This legislation will continue to grow our economy and put the interests of families in New Mexico and across the country first”.
New Mexico organizations applauded Heinrich’s efforts to secure funding which in turn will improve the lives of working families.
Interim Co-Director of New Mexico Voices for Children Bill Jordan said, “We know that the future of our society is in our children’s hands. That’s why investments in nutrition programs are vital to ensuring that every child has the support needed to grow and thrive in their communities. New Mexico Voices for Children deeply appreciates Senator Heinrich’s leadership and hard-fought success in not only fully funding WIC but also working to bring home over $11 million in the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture Appropriations bill. These investments will help build a solid foundation for every child to succeed in our state”.
Executive Director, The United Way of Eddy County Kyle Marksteiner said, “The United Way of Eddy County supports any and all efforts toward addressing the vital nutrition needs of our community’s most vulnerable citizens. We are pledged toward working with Senator Heinrich and all of our elected officials to make sure that these needs are addressed”.
The House and Senate also passed five other bipartisan appropriations bills last week including the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill, the Interior and Environment bill, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill, and the Energy and Water Development bill.
The nutrition provisions included in the FY24 Agriculture Appropriations Bill are here as follows:
WIC- The bill will provide full funding for the WIC program as it serves around 7 Million mothers, infants, and children across the state nationwide. With this, all eligible families will continue to rely on the program for nutritional assistance and other support. There is also increased funding for additional fruit and vegetable benefits.
SNAP- In addition to WIC, the bill also provides funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program so that the program can serve around 42 Million people per month and does not include any restrictions on eligibility.
Child Nutrition- The bill will also provide funding for child nutrition programs such as school lunch programs, summer EBT programs, and school breakfast programs to make sure schools serve healthy meals. The funding is expected to help 5 Billion lunches and 2.6 Billion breakfasts to kids across the country.
Some highlights of the FY24 Agriculture Appropriations Bill are here as follows:
Food Safety- The Agriculture Appropriations Bill provides $1.19 Billion for food safety and inspection service (FSIS). The funding has increased from the previous year. The funding will make sure that FSIS continues its vital work without reducing its staff.
Food and Drug Administration- The bill has provided $6.72 Billion to the Food and Drug Administration to approve drugs that are safe and effective. The bill also has funding to aid the FDA’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and build support for Alzheimer’s disease.
Agriculture Research- Agricultural research plays a crucial role in supporting farmers and producers as they struggle with higher supply costs and a changing climate. The bill includes a $1.79 Billion investment for agricultural research.
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Martin Heinrich. “Heinrich Successfully Secures Full Funding For WIC, Delivers $11.2 Million In FY24 Funding For 20 N.M. Local Projects In Final Agriculture Appropriations Bill”. Martin Heinrich, March 11, 2024,
Heinrich Successfully Secures Full Fundi… | Senator Martin Heinrich (senate.gov)
Last Updated: September 20, 2021