COMMISSIONER MILLER PROMOTES A HEALTHIER FUTURE FOR FELLOW TEXANS (3/2/2020)

AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has announced the second annual Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Farm Fresh Challenge, hosted by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), starts today and will take place throughout the month of March. After a successful inaugural CACFP Farm Fresh Challenge in 2019, this year’s challenge will further the Commissioner’s efforts to promote locally grown food beyond Texas school nutrition programs to include afterschool programs, and child care and adult day care facilities. TDA’s Farm Fresh Challenge is a fun and engaging way to encourage the use of locally grown foods and garden-based learning activities in CACFP and to take nutritional awareness to more Texans statewide.

“After taking office, I made it a mission of mine to create a healthier future for families in the great State of Texas,” Commissioner Miller said. “TDA is committed to the Farm Fresh program and is excited to join forces with CACFP for another Farm Fresh Challenge. I look forward to promoting healthy local products beyond school nutrition programs and connecting Texas children with our farmers and ranchers.”

CACFP brings healthy foods to tables across the country for children in participating child care centers, home day care and afterschool programs, as well as adults in day care centers. Texas CACFP providers serve about 350,000 meals each day in more than 13,000 child care centers and day care homes, and about 50,000 meals a day in more than 400 adult day care centers. In addition to supporting providers to add more Texas foods to these meals all month, the CACFP Farm Fresh Challenge will help them celebrate National CACFP Week, which will be observed March 15-21, 2020. National CACFP Week recognizes the program’s role in providing high quality nutrition and healthy learning experiences for people of all ages.

The CACFP Farm Fresh Challenge supports TDA’s goal of connecting federally funded nutrition programs with foods from Texas producers. Together, CACFP and TDA will work hard to promote good nutrition and help Texans recognize the positive impact of adding more healthy local products to meals for all ages.

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