IMPORTANT VENDOR NEWS!
Information for WIC-Allowed
Grocery Stores & Pharmacies
Updated: March 27, 2013
WIC MATTERS Newsletter for Vendors March 2013 Edition
The March 2013 edition of the WIC MATTERS Newsletter for Vendors (PDF: 276KB/8 pages) was recently mailed out to every retail food vendor in the State. This edition of the newsletter contains important information including the change to 64 ounce as the only WIC Allowed refrigerated juice size. There is additional information on WIC Allowed food products as well as news on a banking change, the shelf price survey due on April 24, and new materials available to order.
UPC/Product Update posted 3/5/2013
Updates to the WIC-Allowed Foods were posted on March 5, 2013. The Updates can be accessed on our website at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/fpchng/upc/index.html
Once on this page, click on the following section found near the top of the page:
Update Section for UPC/Product Listing
The most recent Updates are at the top of the list and titled:
UPC Update 03/05/2013 (PDF: 45KB/3 pages)
If you have any questions regarding the WIC-Allowed Foods, please contact Karilyn Schrankler at: karilyn.schrankler@state.mn.us.
The Impact of Federal Sequestration on the Redemption and Payment of WIC Vouchers
There is much confusion and misinformation regarding the federal sequestration that went into effect on Friday, March 1st. Please note that the federal sequestration will have no effect on the redemption or payment of WIC vouchers. WIC participants are continuing to be served by the local WIC agencies and WIC participants have been instructed that they can continue to use their WIC vouchers without interruption.
All stores should continue to accept WIC vouchers and to process them normally.
If you have any questions, please contact Rick Chiat at:
rick.chiat@state.mn.us or by phone at 651/201-4401.
59 Ounce Refrigerated Orange Juice Change
59 ounce refrigerated orange juice will soon no longer be a WIC allowed juice option for WIC participants. USDA is requiring that we eliminate 59 ounce refrigerated orange juice because it does not allow participants to receive the full amount of juice listed on their vouchers. Beginning April 1, 2013, all vouchers containing juice will only list the 64 ounce size of juice. Because of tri-monthly issuance, some participants will still have vouchers that reflect the 59 to 64 ounce juice range through the end of June.
We encourage every store to carry a 64 ounce size refrigerated orange juice if you do not currently have one available. There are a number of 64 ounce size refrigerated orange juices on our WIC –allowed UPC listing and all distributors should have at least one of these 64 ounce juices available for you to order.
Loss of Wonder Soft 100% Whole Wheat Bread.
The closing of the Hostess company means the loss of one of our WIC-Allowed breads, Wonder Soft 100% Whole Wheat Bread.
If you are looking for a different bread to sell in your store, please click on the following link to access our current list of WIC-Allowed breads: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/fpchng/upc/download/breadpdf.cfm
New 18 by 24 inch “WIC Welcome Here” Poster Now Available to Order
A new "WIC Welcome Here" poster is now available. The new poster is larger, measuring 18 inches by 24 inches, and has a UV coating to minimize sun damage. The smaller size poster, 11 inches by 17 inches with no UV coating, is still available as well.
To order any WIC materials, please access our website at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/comm/ordering.html
Spanish Cashier Guides Now Available
The 2012-2013 laminated Cashier Guides have been translated and are now available in Spanish. To order, please access our website at:
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/comm/ordering.html
Welcome to WIC Participant DVD
We have recently produced a new Welcome to WIC DVD for WIC participants that describe the foods that are available on the WIC program and how to shop with WIC vouchers at the store. This DVD can be viewed at the following link: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/welcomevideo.html
If you would like a copy of the DVD, please send a request to Theresa.graham@state.mn.us
Suggestions from Summer WIC Vendor Training Sessions
Thank you to all who attended a summer WIC vendor training session and for providing us with valuable feedback. We have reviewed your comments and wanted to provide you with a response to the most common issues that you raised:
Do we have to cover the same information at every group training session?
We are required by federal guidelines to cover certain topics at each group training session, such as how to transact a voucher. When possible, we will try to reduce the amount of time we devote to these items in the future.
Can refreshments be provided at the training sessions?
We do not have a budget for providing food or drink at group training sessions. We will be sure to let you know this when we schedule the next training sessions, so you may plan accordingly.
Could you schedule the trainings at a different time of the year?
We recognize that summer is a busy time for stores and will plan to schedule our next group training sessions in the Spring to help address this concern.
Will we continue to offer videoconference training sites?
This year was our first time offering videoconference training sessions in addition to in-person training sessions. Several stores found this option to be very beneficial. We plan to continue to offer videoconference training sessions, but will probably offer fewer training sites, due to low attendance. We will also adjust our presentation and our materials so that it is easier to view the information that we are presenting.
Can we offer a webinar/online training session?
Several people expressed the desire to attend training via a webinar/online session. We piloted this option to see how it would work and it did appear to work well. We will plan to expand this option in the future.
Do we anticipate making changes to our shelf labels or WIC store signs?
We received much feedback about our shelf labels. A number of stores like and use our current shelf labels and other stores have appreciated our flexibility in allowing them to develop their own. Based on the feedback we do not plan to revise the shelf labels at this time, but stores do have the option to create their own shelf labels with our approval. Contact rick.chiat@state.mn.us to obtain approval.
Based on your feedback, we have developed a UV- coated 18 inch by 24 inch version of the “WIC Welcome Here” poster. To order the poster, please click on the following link: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/comm/ordering.html
Is there a way to make the training sessions more interactive?
We received some suggestions to make the training sessions more interactive. We will look at how we can have you participate more directly in the training sessions in the future as a way to enhance your experience.
If you have any suggestions for future group training sessions, please contact Erin Kelsey at Erin.Kelsey@state.mn.us.
Updated Maximum Prices for the WIC-Allowed Foods
The Minnesota WIC Program Maximum Price List has been updated based on the results of the price surveys that stores submitted in October 2012. The new price list can be accessed at: Maximum Prices for WIC-Allowed Foods (PDF: 22KB/2 pages) - updated November, 2012.
If you have questions, please contact Rick Chiat at (651) 201-4401 or by email at: rick.chiat@state.mn.us.
Sign up for UPC/Product Updates
The online UPC listing of the WIC-allowed foods is frequently revised. Revisions identify new brands, discontinued products and product changes sent to us by the manufacturers. Changes made to the list are compiled on an Update page and posted to our website. We encourage you to update your scanning system as soon as possible to reflect the changes. These Update pages can be found on the website at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/vendor/fpchng/upc/updates/index.html.
If you would like to receive notification when these UPC changes are posted to our website, please send an email to: karilyn.schrankler@state.mn.us.
