Welcome to Healthy Grown
The concept of Healthy Grown Potatoes was an idea which was conceived in the mid-nineties by a group of Wisconsin potato farmers as an experiment in large-scale, reduced-pesticide agriculture. IPM (Integrated Pest Management) farming practices offer common ground for growers, environmentalists and health-conscious consumers.
The Healthy Grown Program was developed through a collaborative effort by the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association, World Wildlife Fund, the University of Wisconsin and other conservation groups such as the International Crane Foundation and the Defenders of Wildlife. This collaboration is now celebrating ten years of working together to protect our environment and implement more stringent growing practices for the good of the land.
Major achievements of the collaboration include reducing overall crop protectant toxicity units by 37% in the first three years of the collaboration and development of the first ever eco-system restoration component to be certified under the Healthy Grown program. These results have been recognized nationally when the program received one of the prestigious USDA Secretary’s Honor Awards for Maintaining and Enhancing the Nation’s Natural Resources and Environment in 2003, received the World Wildlife Fund Gift to the Earth Award, received the international IPM Award of Achievement in 2005, and received the International Crane Foundation Good Egg Award for Excellence in 2006. These are just some of the reasons why the program is a great success!
Farm2School Program started in Wisconsin
La Crosse County Health Dept. has recently started a program to ensure fresh food from local farms gets on the lunch menu of the county's schools. The program has been dubbed the 'Farm2School' program. The highlights of the program include - ensuring fresh veggies from local farms are used for lunch & breakfast at school. Kids are educated about nutrition via trading cards containing health information. Local area chefs conduct cooking demonstrations to make nutrition learning fun for kids. Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association is encouraging local farm educational tours for children and adults to stay in touch with their community and industry. The association promotes farming and related industries and reminds the young that the agricultural and farming provides plenty of employment opportunities. Various educational tours in WI are listed here These organizations remind to be safe during the tours and make their own private arrangements for their liability & medical protection for their visits (students & tourist get info at NRIOL.NET

