Farm to Childcare: An Analysis of Social and Economic Values in Local Food Systems

Farm to institution is a component of the local food movement, representing the growing link between local producers and organizations like schools, prisons, and hospitals. These are organizations that have concentrated buying power and thus a sizable influence on local food supply chains. Farm to childcare represents a next step in farm to institution, serving young children at the apex of their habit formation and biological development, and providing economic opportunities for local farmers. Using a qualitative case study methodology in one urban county in North Carolina, this paper asks the questions: (1) How do childcare centers, farmers, and distributors negotiate the tensions between social and financial values in the farm-to-childcare initiative? and (2) What strategies do these supply chain actors use to overcome barriers? Analyzing the perceptions of participation in a farm-to-childcare project of 11 childcare centers, 11 farmers, and four distributors shows parallel values for children’s health and community cona * Corresponding author: Jacob C. Rutz, Farm to Childcare Farmer Liaison, Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, North Carolina State University; 512 Brickhaven Road, Box 7606; Raleigh, NC 27695 USA; +1-513-939-6444;