WIC

Spotlight on Malheur County WIC Program

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About Us:

The Women, Infants, Children (WIC) Program is a public health nutrition program that serves low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, and children up to the age of five.

The vison of the Oregon WIC program is to ensure optimal nutrition and lifelong health for every Oregon family. We provide families with access to healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding guidance, free health screenings and referrals to other health services.

To apply for services, just call us at (541) 889-7279!

We support families by offering:

  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding guidance
  • Nutritious foods
  • Nutrition-focused counseling
  • Free health screenings
  • Connections to resources

To be eligible, you must:

  • Live in Oregon.
  • Be a pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding woman, an infant or a child under 5 years old.
  • Have a household income less than 185% of the federal poverty limit. (Individuals who can prove Fully eligible for Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan, TANF, SNAP/Food Stamps or FDPIR are automatically income eligible for WIC.)
  • Have a nutritional need or risk.

Income Eligibility Criteria (Effective May 2022):

More information on criteria here.

Farm Direct Nutrition Program:

Annually, we provide access to the Oregon Farm Direct Nutrition Program which is a state administered, federal nutrition program serving families enrolled in WIC and income-eligible seniors. Farm Direct participants receive additional benefits to spend on fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables from authorized farmers within our community.

Minimizing Barriers and Providing Equitable Care

  • We strive to maintain a welcoming and trauma-informed work environment that reflects and supports the racial and ethnic diversity of our participants, partners and community.
  • Provide nutritious foods to help minimize food insecurity for our most vulnerable and at-risk populations
  • Minimizes barriers to services by offering remote options when available
  • Use of Electronic Bank Transfer (eBT) cards for easier shopping and reduced stigma of services
  • Provide hand off referrals to other available services within the community
  • Services and materials are available in languages of our population served and ability to provide interpreted services and translated materials for non-English speaking families

Program Goals:

  • Increase number of families served in Malheur County.
  • Increase the number of infants exclusively breastfed for 6 months.
  • Maintain children on the program from infancy through age 5 to optimize health outcomes.
  • Provide families with education and resources to spend all their FDNP vouchers before the end of the annual WIC Farmers Market season.

Contact Us:

  • Phone: (541) 889-7279
  • Email: WIC@malheurco.org
  • Fax #: (541) 889-8468
  • Find our WIC staff on the Meet Our Team page.

Additional Resources:

Frequently Asked Question for imported formula for Oregon WIC participants

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Shipments of infant formula are arriving from Australia and Europe as a part of Operation Fly Formula and will be on the shelves soon. This Frequently Asked Questions document is specific to the imported formulas available for WIC participants.


Which formulas are available to Oregon WIC participants from Operation Fly Formula?
The following formulas have been added as alternatives to Similac Advance:
• Kendamil Classic First Infant Milk Stage 1, 900 g/31.75 oz can
• Kendamil Organic First Infant Milk Stage 1, 800 g/28.2 oz can
• Bubs Organic Grass Fed Infant Formula Stage 1, 800g/28.2 oz can
The following formula has been added as an alternative to Similac Sensitive:
• Bubs Supreme A2 Beta-Casein Protein Infant Formula Stage 1, 800 g/28.2 oz can

How were the formulas selected?
The Food and Nutrition Service USDA granted a waiver under the Access to Baby Formula Act of 2022 allowing WIC State agencies to authorize and issue imported formulas. Imported formulas must meet the Food and Drug Administration and WIC requirements for infant formula. The imported formula must meet the following criteria to be approved:
• Manufacturers must be registered with the FDA
• Infant formula must be Iron fortified. The iron level must be at least 0.6mg/100mL
• Infant formula must have an energy level of at least 19 Calories/oz
Oregon WIC chose to participate in this waiver process to provide imported formula that met those standards.

I don’t know how to mix it. The instructions are in metric. What do I do?”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has created an infographic with helpful information on mixing imported formulas, including conversions from metric to imperial measurements. This infographic is available here: https://tinyurl.com/Metric-Mixing. The infographic is also attached to the June 10,
2022 Formula Update email.

Where will these formulas be sold?
We do not know for sure which stores will receive formulas imported through Operation Fly Formula at this time. WIC participants can purchase these formulas at any Oregon WIC authorized store that has them in stock. We have heard from Target that they will be getting the Kendamil Classic and Kendamil Organic formula. We will continue to share any updates from Oregon WIC vendors as we receive them.

When will these formulas be available to purchase?
We do not know for sure when these formulas will be available in Oregon WIC authorized stores. One estimate is that some formulas may have been imported on June 9, 2022. It will take several days or more to distribute to stores. The four formulas available for Oregon WIC participants were added to TWIST on
June 8, 2022. It typically takes 5-7 days from the date added to TWIST for products to be available for WIC participants to purchase with their eWIC cards once the formulas reach stores.

How do I know that these formulas are safe to feed my child?

Only formulas which met specific requirements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were allowed to be imported. The formulas selected to be made available for Oregon WIC participants have been reviewed by the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, and Oregon WIC. Formulas that have been made available for Oregon WIC participants must meet the following criteria:
• Manufacturers must be registered with the FDA
• Infant formulas must be Iron fortified. The iron level must be at least 0.6mg/100ml
• Have an energy level of at least 19 Calories/oz

Will more formulas be added?
Oregon WIC will review the formulas available through Operation Fly Formula and approved for the FDA/USDA waiver for WIC programs when they become available. We will continue to update Oregon WIC vendors, local agencies, and participants. The Temporary Replacements to Powder Formula document available in the WICShopper App and on our website will be updated as changes are made.

FDA announces recall of infant formula

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The Food and Drug Administration has announced a recall of powdered infant formulas made by Abbott at its Sturgis, Michigan, plant. Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formulas. Abbott has voluntarily recalled these products after four consumer complaints about the formulas.

To check whether the infant formula in your home is included in the recall, look on the bottom of the container. If the multi-digit number starts with the first two digits 22 through 37, contains K8, SH or Z2 and has an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or after, it is under recall. To find out if the product you have is included in the recall, visit Product Lookup (similacrecall.com) and type in the code on the bottom of the package, or call 1-800-986-8540 (U.S.) and follow the instructions provided. If you have questions about feeding your child, contact your healthcare professional.

Some questions about the recall will be answered here: FAQ (similacrecall.com)

For infants on the WIC program

If your baby received Similac formula as part of the WIC program and that formula has been recalled, you can call Abbott directly at 1-800-986-8540, check with the store where you purchased the recalled formula to see whether they are able to replace your formula with the same product, a substitute product, store credit, or a cash refund. If the store does not have replacement formula in stock, please call Malheur County WIC at 541-889-7279 to explore options.

If the formula you have is not affected by the recall, it is safe to use.

If you have unused benefits and need to purchase formula:

  • Check the lot number to ensure you are not purchasing formula that is part of the recall.
  • If you cannot find formula that is not affected by the recall, please call Malheur County WIC to explore options.
  • If you are unable to reach Malheur County WIC, please call 971-673-0040, and the Oregon WIC staff will do their best to respond to your questions.

Eat the Rainbow

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The WIC Farmers Market continues Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the front lawn of the Malheur County Health Department building, 1108 SW 4th Street in Ontario. The public is encouraged to support the vendor, as well.

Women, Infants, and Children

WIC Farmers Market continues until 6 today

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The Farmers Market on the lawn in front of the Health Department at 1108 SW 4th St. continues until 6 p.m. today, and the farmer will return next week to offer fresh fruits and vegetables to anyone who wants them.

Additionally, until 6 today, women who are pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding, and children under 5 can come to the Health Department and receive information about WIC and its healthy benefits for mother and child. Those who are already enrolled are eligible to receive Farm Direct Checks worth $28 for fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers.

MCHD hosts WIC Farmers Market

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A Farmers Market, open to the public, is being held Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 10 and 11, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Malheur County Health Department office, 1108 SW 4th St. in Ontario. Women and children who are enrolled in the WIC program may be eligible to receive $28 worth of WIC Farm Direct checks to use with local farmers at the Farmers Market or at their farm stand.

Women who are pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding and children under 5 may be eligible for WIC. Information about the program is also available at the Farmers Market.