The Farm to Early Care and Education Implementation Grant program is launching a local food incentive pilot to award $43,000 to early care and education providers (ECEs) to purchase local foods from April through September 2021, the Iowa Farm to School and Early Care Coalition announced Monday. The pilot is called Local Food Makes Cents: For Iowa Kids and Farmers, and grant funds are provided by the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists. Grant amounts range from $50 to $4,200 to 125 ECEs across 41 Iowa counties, including Polk, Warren, Dallas, Story and Marshall counties. 

Iowa Stops Hunger is a yearlong Business Publications Corp. initiative to bring awareness and action to food insecurity in Iowa. Read additional stories on Iowastopshunger.com.