Farm to CACFP

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

• The Benefits of Farm to School: National Farm to School Network
• WSDA Farm to School Toolkit | 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.
• Farm to Early Care & Education (ECE) – Washington State Farm to School Network:  resources, lesson plans, and curricula that support Farm to ECE practices. Those who join the WA ECE Community of Practice network 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.
• USDA Food and Nutrition Service Farm to CACFP website: 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!
• WSDA Farm to Preschool webpage (Washington State Department of Agriculture)
• Using Local Foods in the Afterschool and Summer Nutrition Programs (Food Research and Action Center)

Harvest of the Month

• 2023–24 Harvest of the Month Calendar
• 2024–25 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 - Cantaloupe
• Harvest of the Month - Cauliflower
• Harvest of the Month - Cucumber
• Harvest of the Month - Kale
• Harvest of the Month - Kuri Squash
• 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 Procuring Local Foods webpage (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
• Washington Food and Farm Finder (Eat Local First)
• Washington Farmer’s Market Directory (Washington State Farmer’s Market Association)
• Farm to ECE: Local Procurement (Washington State Farm to School Network): collection of guides and resources relating to local procurement specific to early learning programs

Promotional Tools and Activities

• OSPI CNS Farm to CACFP Reference Sheets
  • WA Farm to CACFP: What is it?
  • WA Farm to CACFP: Outreach
• OSPI Farm to Child Nutrition Programs Resources: lessons, activities, and guides sorted by target age group and topics (nutrition education, gardening, food systems).
• Farm to ECE: Gardening (Washington State Farm to School Network): not just for ECE! A great collection of resources for how to start gardens
• Farm to ECE: Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Education (Washington State Farm to School Network): activities, curricula, guides for field trips, and other resources supporting Farm to ECE practices.
• Farm to ECE: Community Engagement & Cultural Adaptations (Washington State Farm to School Network)
• Farm to ECE Success Stories

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.