Farm to Early Care

MN’s Legislative Session Begins: Where things stand, and what we’re focusing on

Minnesota’s 2026 legislative session begins today. Though it is the second year of the biennium when major budget decisions are not typically made, there is a lot of pressure on this session. Lawmakers and advocates are returning to the Capitol in a time of enormous challenges for our state.

Fresh Food for Tots: A Farm to Kids pilot program brings nutritious local food to early care settings

Farm to Early Care programs have been growing across Minnesota, with increasing numbers of early care providers talking about and sourcing local food for the kids they care for. Early care centers and now home-based providers are eligible recipients for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Farm to School and Early Care grant dollars.

Putting together the puzzle of a successful Farm to School system

Sourcing, storing, preparing, and serving local products requires a complex network of partners to reach the scale of purchasing that can impact our local economies and build markets for local producers and businesses. Together, all these partners create the Farm to Kids network, ensuring that millions of dollars of local food makes its way to school and early care plates in Minnesota each year.

Minnesota lawmakers pass Omnibus Agriculture Bill, increasing support for Farm to School and Early Care Programs

MINNEAPOLIS — In a bipartisan win for Farm to School and Early Care programming and local food purchasing across Minnesota, state lawmakers in both the House and the Senate passed the omnibus agriculture finance and policy bill this week in an

October is Farm to School and Early Care Month!

Farm to School and Farm to Early Care initiatives focus on three main tenets: local purchasing, gardening, and food and agriculture education.  

Farm to Early Care in Minnesota: Connecting our Littlest Eaters with Fresh Local Foods

Farm to Early Care initiatives connect young children with nutritious, locally grown foods and support farmers in their communities.

Serving traditional Hmong foods in early care meals with the CACFP/Food Program

Download a PDF of this handout.

Hmong foods and CACFP recipe collection

Our cohort of Hmong early care providers shared feedback to identify challenges and opportunities to participate in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP, also known as “the Food Program”), which provides reimbursement to participating providers for every meal they serve.

Big wins for Farm to School & Early Care in Minnesota

Minnesota’s legislative session ended in May, and stakeholders are celebrating big wins for Farm to School and Early Care.

2023 Farm to School and Early Care Bill Continues Positive Momentum in Minnesota

St. Paul, Minnesota—The Minnesota House Agriculture Committee will have a hearing today for Representative Kristi Pursell’s Farm to School and Early Care bill (H.F. 2043), with bipartisan support representing a step forward in supporting local food, schools and economies throughout Minnesota.