According to updates from the CNMI-WIC office through nutrition services coordinator Erin Angela Camacho, the WIC has approved five local farmers to accept cash value vouchers in its effort to promote local produce.
But they are still accepting applications from other farmers.
To be eligible, interested farmers must be members of the Sabalu Market Farmers Association.
For more information or for application forms, farmers can call 664-4067.
Beginning Oct. 1, the WIC food packages will include locally produced fruits and vegetables every month. The old menu is consisted of imported fruits and vegetables.
WIC clinic manager Dianne C. Esplin earlier said the participants can exchange the cash vouchers for fruits and vegetables in each food package from the authorized farmers markets and WIC-approved stores.
The food packages for WIC beneficiaries amounts to about $60 a month. WIC has started to issue vouchers for the new food packages but will yet be redeemable by Oct. 1.
The value for cash vouchers for local fruits and vegetables will be $8 for mothers-to-be, mothers, and mothers who are partially breastfeeding their babies, $10 for mothers who are purely breastfeeding their babies, and $6 for children.
To give their participants more convenience, WIC will be adding three more authorized WIC stores on Saipan in addition to the existing six stores.
The new stores will include Sara Market II on Capital Hill, San Jose Market in San Jose, and Super Fresh in Chalan Kanoa.
Last month’s updates showed that a total of 5,099 WIC certified participants had been served on Saipan, Rota and Tinian.
Of the total number, 4,635 were from Saipan, 254 were from Tinian and 210 were from Rota.
On Saipan, the participants included 1,035 women, 854 infants and 2,746 children.
On Tinian, the WIC participants included 48 women, 39 infants and 167 children.
On Rota, the participants were 38 women, 37 infants and 135 children.
