I was a bag boy and for WIC, I was amazed that a huge block of cheese was allowed. The cashier said they often sell it as no one can eat that much cheese.
we have a massive surplus of cheese in this country.
The "Government Cheese" Program provides low income people/families on welfare with large quantities of cheese that would have gone to waste otherwise.
Government cheese is "pasteurized process American cheese", a term with a standard of identity. It is produced from a variety of cheese (Cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, cheese curd, or granular cheese), made meltable using emulsifiers, and blended. Other ingredients specified in the standard of identity may be used.
The flavor of government cheese has been compared as ranging from that of mild cheddar to Velveeta cheese due to variations in ingredients. Some people reminisce concerning the flavor of government cheese with opinions both positive and negative. Affinity for government cheese is often correlated as belonging to a lower socioeconomic status; however, this correlation also overlaps with who was most likely to receive and consume it.
On August 23, 2016, the US Department of Agriculture stated that it planned to purchase approximately eleven million pounds (5,000 t) of cheese,[6] worth $20 million,[7] to give aid to food banks and food pantries across the United States,[6] to reduce a $1.2 billion[7] cheese surplus that had been at its highest level in thirty years, and to stabilize farm prices.[7] This purchase also added revenues for the dairy producers. Regarding the purchase, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, "This commodity purchase is part of a robust, comprehensive safety net that will help reduce a cheese surplus that is at a 30-year high while, at the same time, moving a high-protein food to the tables of those most in need. USDA will continue to look for ways within its authorities to tackle food insecurity and provide for added stability in the marketplace."[7]
As of 2022, as part of the USDA Food Nutrition Service Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), eligible seniors over the age of 60 are provided one 32-ounce (910 g) block of processed cheese food each month, supplied by participating dairies.[8] This number had not changed since 2018.[9]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_cheeseWIC is just one method of distributing Government Cheese to welfare beneficiaries.