Bringing the Farm to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

April 22, 2015

Traci Mouw

Child Nutrition Programs

What is Farm to Preschool?

• Farm to preschool is a natural extension of the farm to school model, and works to connect early care and education settings to local food producers with the objectives of:

» serving locally-grown, healthy foods to young children

» improving child nutrition

» providing related educational opportunities (edible gardens, etc.)

Why Farm to Preschool - HHFKA

The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 expanded the purpose of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to:

“provide aid to child and adult care institutions and family or group day care homes for the provision of nutritious foods that contribute to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children, and the health and wellness of older adults and chronically impaired disabled persons”

Benefits of Farm to Preschool

• Provides access to local, nutritious, good-tasting food• Improving healthy food access at home and within the community• Increases willingness to try new foods – (new CACFP meal pattern)• Establishes healthy eating habits at a younger age• Prepare kids for local foods they will see in school• Addresses obesity among preschool-age children• Teaches food and environmental literacy• Creates a market for agricultural producers

Farm to Preschool: Unique Opportunities

• Family-style meals – more time to eat, adults as models

• Smaller purchasing volumes – good fit for local farmers

• Smaller class sizes – greater flexibility, activities

• Experiential & play-based learning – gardening, cooking, tasting

• Parental involvement – tends to be strongest during preschool

What does Farm to Preschool Look like?

Local Food& Procurement

Food Education

Local foods and related activities• Encourage children to eat and enjoy fresh, nutritious foods• Engage children in educational activities that teach them

where their food comes from• Support local and regional food systems with federal

reimbursement dollars

Farm to Preschool Activities

• Growing or visiting edible gardens• Offering agriculture-based, hands-on activities• Organizing farm field trips or visits from producers• Taste tests with various fresh, seasonal products• Creating and sending newsletters home for parents with recipes,

farmers’ market tips, etc.• Many, many more!

How does Farm to Preschool fit in CACFP?

• March 13, 2015 memorandum covers new guidance regarding:

» State Administrative Expense (SAE) Funds

» Local Sourcing

» Growing Food

» Food Safety

• All guidance includes:

» At-Risk Afterschool Meals

» Adult Care

CACFP Child Care Wellness GrantsTexas

• 32 sub-grants

• 292 sites

• over 14,000 children

• over 6800 parent volunteers

• over 8300 community members

• 141 outreach events

• $451,075 awarded

Childtime Childcare, Inc.Arlington, Texas

Oregon Farm to Preschool• Pilot Project

– Early Sprouts Curriculum • Formed A statewide Farm to Preschool Coalition

– ODE was a member of this coalition– Ecotrust convened this coalition, but it could just as easily be convened by a State

Agency (SA)– A toolkit for how to convene a Statewide F2P Coalition was developed

http://www.ecotrust.org/media/Farm_to_preschool_digital.pdf • The Statewide F2P Coalition merged with existing Oregon F2S Network

Ecotrust administered a F2P mini-grant program, to provide seed funding of $500-$2,000 to ECE providers around the state

• With funding, an SA could just as easily administer such a program.

• Mini-grant programs are also being administered in GA, CA, and NY.

New York Farm to Preschool

• SNAP-ED Grant Funded• CSA boxes and Farmers Markets (Total sales nearly $67,000)• Garden Materials• Parent and Family Classes • Evaluation

State Administrative Expense Funds (SAE)

State Agencies can use their SAE funds to provide training and technical assistance to CACFP

» State level costs

» Must be provided to all institutions under the State agency’s oversight

» The costs meet all criteria for an allowable cost

» Examples include:

• how to grow food suitable for use in the meal service

• the nutritional benefits of the food grown

• Additional guidance at March 13, 2015 Q & A memo regarding SAE funds

Guidance on Local Sourcing&Procurement

What Types of Products?

Defining Local

• Within a radius

• Within a county

• Within a state

• Within a region

Definition of local may change depending on the:

• Season• Product• Special events

Many sources for local foods

• Direct from farm• Through a distributor• From a food hub• From farmers’ markets• Using garden produce

Key components

• What is already local?» Ask vendors where food is coming from

• What could be local? » Find out what products are seasonal and available in your area

• Communicate a preference.» Target local foods in future solicitations by specifying local varieties or

including a preference for products that meet your definition of local

Buying Local in CACFP

• Only institutions are subject to 7 CFR 226.22. Even when using non-Program funds to purchase meals, they must follow Federal Procurement Regulations.

• Facilities are not required by regulation to conduct procurements that uphold free and open competition but it is encouraged

• Exhibit J, Page 152, FNS Instruction 796-2, Rev. 4

What does this mean?

• Day Care Homes and affiliated/unaffiliated Centers can:

» Purchase food without getting three bids

» Do not need to use Geographic Preference

» Grow food for use in the CACFP

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Buying local: Strategies for Institutions

Institutions have an agreement with the State Agency and are subject to 7 CFR 226.22

Strategies

1. Discuss with existing vendors – what is already local and if they can include more local food

2. Get three bids from local vendors

3. Use specifications to target local

4. Use Geographic Preference

Receipts

• Make sure receipts include:

» The date of purchase

» Name of vendor/farmer

» Item cost

» Amount

» Total cost

http://www.fns.usda.gov/capacitybuilder

Donated Foods in CACFP

• Are acceptable to use from local gardens and farms

• Full reimbursement must be spent on allowable Child Nutrition Program costs

• Non-program resources can be used to cover food costs provided that there isn’t an excessive balance

• CACFP institutions must maintain records of the types and quantities of donated foods received

» Will be assessed as part of their food service records during an administrative review

Guidance on Growing Food

Growing Food: Policy Update (1)

• Allowable Costs:» Growing food to be used in the meal service including: seeds, fertilizer, labor,

plot rental, etc. » Nutrition activities that include growing food which will be used in the meal

service.

• Document the weight and/or volume of the produce.

• Exhibit B, Page 111, FNS Instruction 796-2, Rev. 4

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Growing Food: Policy Update (2)

• Institutions can sell food grown at a CACFP garden

» For the reimbursable meal or at a farm stand, market, etc

» Revenue goes to the nonprofit food service account

• Institutions can purchase produce from another garden

» Documentation

» Example: Future Farmers of America school garden

• Excess garden produce

» Can the produce benefit SFSP or NSLP?

» Sold or donated in accordance with health and safety

» Revenue goes to the nonprofit food service account

Guidance on Food Safety

Food Safety

• Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) and Good Handling Practices (GHP)

» Not required for sale to CACFP

» May be required by State or local governments

• Liability coverage

» No specific amount required of farmers by USDA to sell to CACFP institutions or facilities

• Farmers must meet all local and State regulations and be in good standing to sell their products to CACFP

Guidelines for Handling Produce in Kitchens

• NSFMI resources for the safe handling of food in child care facilities:

» Ready, Set, Go! Creating and Maintaining a Wellness Environment in Child Care Centers Participating in the CACFP

» Best Practices: Handling Fresh Produce in Schools» http://www.nfsmi.org/

• Produce Safety University» Best practices for preparing produce in Child Nutrition Programs» http://www.fns.usda.gov/food-safety/produce-safety-university

Resources

New! Farm to Preschool Website

• http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-preschool

» Local Food Procurement Resources

» Partners

» Farm to School Census

» Curriculum including Grow it, Try It, Like it

National Farm to School Network

Funding Farm to Preschool

Institutions and Facilities

• People’s Garden : Free to register a child care garden to improve recognition

• Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council: find out where to buy local foods or grow themselves

• For farm to preschool grants visit: www.farmtopreschool.org/grants.html

• Farm to School Grants

• School-based CACFP sites

• Applications due May 20th, Start early www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school-grant program

• Fundraising

• Other ideas: Health Departments, Departments of Planning, Health Insurance Companies, Hospitals

Funding Farm to Preschool

Working with State Agencies:

• Team Nutrition Training Grants: State agencies sub grants to teach nutrition education through gardening

• Specialty Crop Block Grant: State agencies can sub-grant to day care homes and centers to start their own specialty crop gardens

Other USDA Resources

• USDA Farm to School Website » www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool» Resources, fact sheets, webinar recordings

• USDA Farm to School E-Letter» https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFNS/subscriber/new» Latest news, grant updates, webinar announcements

• Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass» http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=KYF_COMPASS

Thank You!

• Questions?

Regional Office Farm to CACFP ContactsRegion Name Email

MARO Jeanne Hutchins Denise Branscome

Jeanne.Hutchins@fns.usda.govdenise.branscome@fns.usda.gov

MWRO Mark Meek mark.meek@fns.usda.gov

MPRO Joey Yonce Jessica Creed-Caspel (back-up)

Joseph.Yonce@fns.usda.govJessica.Creed-Capsel@fns.usda.gov

NERO Alicia Rampulla Alicia.Rampulla@fns.usda.gov

SERO Olivia Parris Rosie Daugherty (Team Lead)

Olivia.Parris@fns.usda.govRosie.Daugherty@fns.usda.gov

SWRO Sandra Moody Sandra.Moody@fns.usda.gov

WRO Kristie HubbardHolly Prestegaard (back-up)

Kristie.Hubbard@fns.usda.govHolly.Prestegaard@fns.usda.gov