Success Story: Farm to ECE Summits

Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) Summits are state or regional gatherings that bring together ECE providers, farmers, food system partners, and agencies to strengthen Farm to ECE efforts. These convenings create shared space for learning, collaboration, and planning—helping states move from isolated activities to coordinated, sustainable systems. 

Summits typically include workshops, hands‑on demonstrations, peer learning, and networking across sectors. This mix of voices—ECE providers, farmers, food hubs, extension, public health, nonprofits, and state agencies—creates a rare opportunity for shared vision and collective action. 

In short: Summits turn enthusiasm into coordinated movement. As states across the country deepen their commitment to Farm to ECE, many are hosting their own summits to spark collaboration, build provider confidence, and strengthen local food connections. These gatherings look different in every community, but each one reflects the same core goal: helping early childhood programs bring gardening, nutrition education, and local foods to life. Below are two recent examples—Alabama and Arkansas—that show how states are turning shared learning into real‑world action. These events were funded through the Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Technical Assistance Program, led by Nemours Children’s Health, and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN). Both states received technical assistance and support from ASPHN through their participation in the USDA funded FARMWISE program.  

• Growing Together: 2026 Alabama Farm to ECE Summit – The 2026 Alabama Farm to ECE Summit brought 84 educators, farmers, and partners together at Jones Valley Teaching Farm in Birmingham for a hands‑on day of learning and collaboration. Participants—representing programs serving more than 4,400 children—took part in sessions on gardening, cooking with kids, agricultural education, and building community partnerships. Educators planted seeds, made green smoothies, explored Alabama agriculture through a watermelon tasting, and practiced classroom‑ready nutrition and gardening activities. The Summit strengthened statewide connections, showcased practical strategies providers can use immediately, and highlighted long‑term opportunities for expanding Farm to ECE across Alabama. Post‑event surveys showed strong momentum: 100% of attendees said they plan to implement Farm to ECE activities. The Summit clearly cultivated knowledge, confidence, and partnerships to grow Farm to ECE statewide. 

• Growing Minds, Growing Bodies, the 2026 Arkansas Farm to ECE Summit brought together 89 participants representing early childhood programs, trainers, state partners, farmers, and community organizations to strengthen connections and advance Farm to ECE efforts across the state. Attendees, representing programs serving more than 1,000 children, reported high satisfaction with the event and left with concrete plans to start gardens, grow microgreens, expand family engagement activities, introduce local foods, and build partnerships with farmers and food producers. Evaluation findings showed that the Summit successfully fostered cross-sector collaboration, inspired action, and generated strong momentum for continued statewide Farm-to-ECE growth and coalition engagement in Arkansas. Participants described the Summit as “the best conference and so engaging,” shared excitement about putting what they learned into practice, and overwhelmingly expressed interest in returning, with comments such as “Please do this again” and “Can’t wait for next year.”