It is alarming and surprising to know that many children do not know where their food comes from. If asked, they may answer with “the grocery store.” Farm to ECE (or Early Childcare Education) programs play a vital role in promoting food literacy, supporting local agriculture, and teaching young children and their families to appreciate and recognize where healthy, locally sourced foods come from. 

For nearly two years, UW-Madison Extension has partnered with the Fond du Lac Area United Way, Fond du Lac County Public Health. and the Wisconsin Community Empowerment Fund to develop a farm to ECE (or early childcare education) program in Fond du Lac County. 

As a result, 2-3 daycares are feeding their students fresh, local foods from 3-4 farms throughout Fond du Lac County. In addition, a Farm to ECE Coordinator has been hired to lead these efforts in the future. To share more about this important and valuable program, the team has created a video featuring local farm partners, local daycare partners, and nutrition and health experts. The video also features the impacts it has made on the children and families.