Sorghum, "millet," and teff are now listed among the whole grain options covered by the U.S. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). This is part of a wider change in WIC's list of eligible foods, that has been under discussion since November 2022. WIC is a Federal program administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, and state-level agencies, for healthcare and nutrition of low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children under the age of five. "Millet" in the list is not given a precision that we are aware of. In the U.S., as we know, this term is commonly used to refer to proso millet, which is a significant crop in the High Plains. However, the term also covers the range of small grains surnamed "millet," which would represent an even larger expansion of the list of eligible whole grains under WIC. This is a very positive development, both for the health and nutrition of eligible recipients, and for growers and processors of sorghum, proso millet, and teff in the U.S. And in the bigger picture, it's another step ahead for millets in North America. For more info: * "WIC Food Packages - Regulatory Requirements for WIC-Eligible Foods," USDA, 10 Apr 2024 (look under "Types of Whole Wheat Bread, Whole Grain Bread, and Other Whole Grains") https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/food-packages/regulatory-requirements * "WIC is changing in 2024. Here's what to expect," by Adrienne Crezo, Center for Science in the Public Interest, 10 Apr 2024 https://www.cspinet.org/cspi-news/wic-changing-2024-heres-what-expect * "Sorghum Joins WIC National Food Package: USCP Celebrates Enhanced Nutrition Accessibility for Children in Expanded Offerings," United Sorghum Checkoff Program (press release), 11 Apr 2024 https://www.sorghumcheckoff.com/press-releases/sorghum-joins-wic-national-fo... * "Proposals would expand WIC whole grain options," by Jeff Gelski, Baking Business, 25 Nov. 2022 https://www.bakingbusiness.com/articles/57884-proposals-would-expand-wic-who... * WIC, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIC Thanks to our friend and Director of Nutrition & Food Innovation at Sorghum Checkoff, Lanier Dabruzzi, MS, RD, LD, whose posting of the USCP press release (link above) brought this to our attention. Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US) North American Millets Alliance