Written by Daithi Wolfe, Early Education Policy Analyst

Two years ago, we announced the creation of new program at Kids Forward: the Farm to Early Care and Education project. With funding from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and through partnerships with FairShare CSA Coalition, the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association, and other groups, we embarked on the mission to bring the farm to table movement to child care programs across the state.

Now, Wisconsin has nearly 400 schools involved in farm to school and farm to early care, working to strengthen the local agricultural economy, encourage healthy eating in schools, and educate children and families about food, nutrition, and the environment.

FairShare CSA is a coalition of 50 small, organic family farms in Wisconsin who have programs to provide communities with access to fresh, local food directly from the farms. Many of the FairShare farms are involved in Wisconsin’s farm to school movement in varying capacities, ranging from direct involvement with children in classrooms, to contributing educational materials to teachers, to providing produce to a school district’s food service provider.

We are proud to support the work of FairShare CSA Coalition because every kid deserves to eat healthy food—and right now, that’s not a reality for many young kids in child care settings. Read more about FairShare CSA Coalition’s innovative work by reading their recent blog, “FairShare Farmers Innovate to Strengthen Farm to School.”