▁for ▁posit ively ▁influen cing ▁children ’ s ▁e ating ▁hab its ▁through ▁school ▁c af eter ia ▁improvements , ▁hands - on ▁nut r ition ▁education , ▁and ▁community ▁invol vement ▁and ▁support . ▁The ▁last ▁de cade ▁has ▁witness ed ▁a ▁trem end ous ▁sp ike ▁in ▁nut r ition - ▁and ▁health - related ▁dise ases ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁especially ▁those ▁affect ing ▁children . ▁In ▁response , ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁numerous ▁initi atives ▁undert aken ▁to ▁combat ▁the ▁growing ▁rates ▁of ▁child hood ▁ob es ity ▁target ed ▁at ▁changes ▁at ▁the ▁school , ▁community ▁and ▁individual ▁levels . ▁Farm ▁to ▁School ▁is ▁one ▁such ▁initi ative , ▁and ▁it ▁also ▁has ▁the ▁added ▁benefits ▁of ▁supporting ▁small ▁far mers , ▁local ▁agricult ure , ▁and ▁local ▁econom ies . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Farm ▁to ▁School ▁Network ▁spr out ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 - 1 9 9 7 ▁from ▁the ▁desire ▁to ▁support ▁community - based ▁food ▁systems , ▁strength en ▁family ▁far ms , ▁and ▁improve ▁student ▁health ▁by ▁reducing ▁child hood ▁ob es ity . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁the ▁National ▁Farm ▁to ▁School ▁Program ▁was ▁officially ▁author ized , ▁and ▁included ▁ 4 0 0 ▁programs ▁in ▁ 2 2 ▁states . ▁Additionally , ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁White ▁House ▁Task ▁Force ▁Report ▁on ▁Child hood ▁Ob es ity ▁recognized ▁Farm ▁to ▁School ▁as ▁a ▁strategy ▁for ▁ob es ity ▁prevent ion . ▁ ▁Farm ▁to