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Farm to Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) means the inclusion of locally produced food and/or nutrition or agriculture education in CACFP. By extending the principles of Farm to School, CACFP operators can offer repeated exposure to healthy foods, promote lifelong healthy food habits, and decrease the risk of obesity in childhood and beyond. Farm to CACFP programming is recommended a best practice in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Farm to CACFP Participation

Farm to CACFP is the inclusion of any of the three Farm to Program pillars into activities.

• Nutrition and Agricultural Education
• School Gardens
• Local Food Purchasing

CACFP operators using any of these strategies are participating in Farm to CACFP. These activities have been shown to have positive impacts in health behaviors and school engagement by students and their families. Opportunities for advancing equity are provided, and increased academic achievement has also been observed.

Resources

Program Information

• : National Farm to School Network
•  | Washington State Department of Agriculture: not just for schools! A wealth of information about buying local in Washington, including recipes, marketing & promotional materials, purchasing tools and templates, seasonality charts, educational activities, grants, resources, and more. Some resources are available in Spanish and English.
• :  resources, lesson plans, and curricula that support Farm to ECE practices. Those who will have access to quarterly webinars on what¡¯s happening in Farm to ECE across the state, as well as a Farm to ECE listserv to connect with other members of the community.
• : set of resources for procuring local food in CACFP, using SAE to support Farm to CACFP efforts, links to the USDA Farm to School grant program, and more!

Harvest of the Month

• 2023¨C24 Harvest of the Month Calendar
• 2024¨C25 Harvest of the Month Calendar
• Harvest of the Summer Calendar
• Harvest of the Month - Apricots
• Harvest of the Month - Asian Pears
• Harvest of the Month - Basil
• Harvest of the Month - Beets
• Harvest of the Month - Buckwheat
• Harvest of the Month - Butterhead Lettuce
• Harvest of the Month - Cantaloupe
• Harvest of the Month - Cauliflower
• Harvest of the Month - Cucumber
• Harvest of the Month - Garbanzo Beans
• Harvest of the Month - Goat Cheese
• Harvest of the Month - Kale
• Harvest of the Month - Kuri Squash
• Harvest of the Month - Parsnips
• Harvest of the Month - Plums
• Harvest of the Month - Pluots
• Harvest of the Month - Raspberries
• Harvest of the Month - Rhubarb
• Harvest of the Month - Spinach
• Harvest of the Month - Watermelon
• Harvest of the Month - Wheat

Local Procurement/Purchasing

• (USDA Food and Nutrition Service): collection of webinars, fact sheets, policy memos, and regulations pertaining to the procurement and use of local foods in Child Nutrition Programs
• (Eat Local First)
• (Washington State Farmer¡¯s Market Association)
• (Washington State Farm to School Network): collection of guides and resources relating to local procurement specific to early learning programs

Promotional Tools and Activities

• º£½ÇÉçÇø CNS Farm to CACFP Reference Sheets
  • WA Farm to CACFP: What is it?
  • WA Farm to CACFP: Outreach
• º£½ÇÉçÇø Farm to Child Nutrition Programs Resources: lessons, activities, and guides sorted by target age group and topics (nutrition education, gardening, food systems).
• (Washington State Farm to School Network): not just for ECE! A great collection of resources for how to start gardens
• (Washington State Farm to School Network): activities, curricula, guides for field trips, and other resources supporting Farm to ECE practices.
• (Washington State Farm to School Network)

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.