Huge Regional Produce Price Variation Found
Low income kids in higher priced areas lose out on fruits and vegetables.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides supplemental foods to low-income women, infants, and children at nutritional risk. Since October 2009, WIC packages have included a fixed-value voucher for purchasing fruits and vegetables. Although this should help increase fruit and vegetable consumption for all WIC participants, regional price variation could lead to different buying power — and nutritional benefits — across the country.
In a recently released study using 2004-06 Nielsen Homescan data, Ephraim Leibtag and Aylin Kumcu of the USDA’s Economic Research Service examined the prices of fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, and canned) in 26 metropolitan market areas to determine how price variations affect the voucher’s purchasing power. They found that the 20 most commonly purchased fruits and vegetables cost a whopping 30% to 70% more in the highest priced market areas than in the lowest, implying that WIC participants in more expensive areas might be able to purchase fewer fruits and vegetables than those living where these items are cheaper.
The lowest priced market for fruits and vegetables was the Nashville, Birmingham, Memphis, and Louisville area, while the highest was San Francisco.
To see a PDF of the report, “The WIC Fruit and Vegetable Cash Voucher - Does Regional Price Variation Affect Buying Power?,” click here.
Source: USDA’s Economic Research Service
For more on the child nutrition bill passed in late 2010 that affected the WIC program, click here.
