Will WIC benefits stop in November like SNAP? Here's who could be impacted [View all]

Source: USA today



Mary Walrath-Holdridge Melina Khan
Updated October 29, 2025 7:45 pm ET


As millions face the looming threat of sweeping nutrition programs being cut off come November, people who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, are contending with a separate risk to funding.

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While 25 states plus Washington, DC filed a lawsuit on Oct. 28 in an attempt to force the Trump administration to fund November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, questions remain about WIC, which also receives funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) but via different monies and processes.

Here's what we know about WIC payments in November.


What is WIC?

WIC is a federal nutrition program that provides food, education and counseling to nearly 7 million at-risk pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding individuals, as well as infants and children up to 5 years old.


What happens to WIC during a government shutdown?

According to a USDA contingency plan dated Sept. 30 that has since been taken off the agency's website, WIC continues to operate in the event of a shutdown as long as funding is available. However, WIC is not designated as "mandatory spending," meaning funding for the program is subject to regular congressional allocation and approval................................................



Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2025/10/28/wic-government-shutdown-november-benefits/86946560007/

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