Farm to Head Start

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.

A decade of Farm to Institution efforts

For over a decade, IATP has been a leader in the Farm to Institution movement. With the goal of supporting the vitality of small- and mid-size farmers, we find innovative approaches to increase the accessibility of locally-grown foods in settings like schools and hospitals.

Exploring Farm to Head Start Across Minnesota: Lessons from IATP’s Farm to Head Start Partners

During early childhood, children start to form an awareness of where food comes from and begin to establish the taste preferences and eating habits that will stay with them throughout their lives. Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) activities connect young children with healthy, locally-grown foods and offer hands-on experiential learning activities.