One of the kindest projects the US government offers is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). This may seem absurd to people from outside the US, but we have an entire political party dedicated to the wholesale transfer of all wealth and power to the tiny ruling class while actively striving to deprive poor and working class people from any social safety net or assistance (sorry for sharing my bitterness). The WIC program, one the very few safety net programs still going, sets the types of food the WIC participants can receive and these are generally set by the USDA Department of Agriculture (USDA). Until now, these food choices didn't include plant-based dairy products (oh yeah, another thing – the USDA has been largely under the thrall of the animal dairy industry which sees plant-based dairy as its greatest existential threat). This is despite the fact that many WIC participants are African American or First Nation, populations where most people are lactose intolerant. Now, goodness has finally prevailed and WIC recipients will have more access to nondairy milk, butter and cheese as well as more fresh vegetables and whole grains. Many of us are hard at work trying to bring more justice and equity to the world, and this victory is welcome, though there is still along road ahead.
Our source for this meme is the Progressive Grocer. There is also a good story about it in VegNews magazine
Our source for this meme is the Progressive Grocer. There is also a good story about it in VegNews magazine
Meme, Vegan, Nondairy, Plant-Based, Dairy,Milk, Butter, Cheese, US, USDA, WIC, Justice, Food Justice, Equity, Progress