WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pick up a book published by Feeding Minds Press and you’ll discover that children will gain a genuine account of what goes on at a farm. Children won’t be bombarded with over-talkative cows, silly donkeys or Old McDonald farmers.

Instead, in these children’s picture books you’ll find a boy named Chuck whose “dairy godmother” takes him to a dairy farm to see all the hard work that goes into producing his favorite treat – ice cream. Or you’ll find a young girl in polka-dot work boots feeding calves and cats with her father in their barn before sunrise.

Feeding Minds Press is an arm of the American Farm Bureau Foundation. Its goals are to provide children with books that are relevant to agriculture and society, offer accurate information about agriculture with a priority on modern agricultural practices, do away with stereotypical depictions of rural life, and portray no unsafe situations in pictures, graphics or text.

“Our children’s books provide a glimpse into real, modern farming while engaging young readers in a creative story,” said Julia Recko, director of the foundation’s education outreach. “So many children’s books show antiquated farms, stereotypes of farming life, talking animals or ducks that get together to take over the farm. We look for books that focus on modern farming practices and when we didn’t see them, we decided to publish them ourselves. It’s hard to find books that highlight agricultural practices. So, the foundation decided to start Feeding Minds Press, with the goal of publishing accurate and engaging books about agriculture.”

According to Recko, the concept of the ag books began in 2013, with the first one off the press in 2019. Since 2019, there have been just seven books published, with two more due out in 2023.

Feeding Minds Press purchases manuscripts from submitted stories, then hires an illustrator and works with a professional children’s book editor and an art director. Books are printed in the U.S. and sold on the foundation’s website as well as through Amazon, private bookstores, Target and other retailers. Recko said the company receives roughly 200 submissions a year from the general public, though they only publish a few each year.

“We’d like to have farmers submit to us because it’s their stories that we’re trying to tell,” she said.

Because book publishing is so expensive, Recko and her staff are very selective about manuscripts. “Anything that’s super creative gets our attention, with the focus on a child and on discovery,” she said.

I Love Strawberries is a tale about a girl named Jolie who is obsessed with strawberries, so much so that she takes readers on her arduous journey of growing them, taking the plant from seed to harvest. This book talks about strawberry varieties and integrated pest management.

Right This Very Minute is a table-to-farm book about food and farming. With each table food comes a connection to the farmer. “What’s that you say? You need a snack? Right this very minute? Then you need a farmer.” The young reader gains an understanding of the importance of farming with each food item at each meal.

“We all eat. If we are fortunate, we eat three times a day,” Recko said, “but because agriculture is so integrated into our everyday lives, it’s easy to overlook.”

Recko said the books are educational tools for teachers and kids, teaching them where food comes from. It also highlights the hard work that farmers and ranchers do across the country.

Their current target audience has been the K-6th grade group. They’re now looking into addressing those at the junior high level.

One such book for that age group is Hero for the Hungry, which talks about the life and work of Norman Borlaug, an American agronomist who led initiatives worldwide that contributed to the extensive increases in agricultural production. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“We hope to inspire younger readers and show them what ag really looks like today and not 100 years ago,” Recko said. “Some picture books illustrate the part of ‘Old Macdonald Farm’, or that of grandpa milking cows on a stool. We want to break that stereotype. We want to show that ag is not quaint and tucked away. We want to show that ag is modern, exciting and there’s room for everybody in the ag fields and industry. Also, through our books we show that farms can be small, medium or large.

“We also want to show that those in ag care about their animals, land and communities. We want our books to reflect that. Overall, we want to show what those in the ag industry have to deal with. There are so many passionate farmers and ranchers who want to help others learn about where their food comes from.”

Once books are published (usually two per year) Feeding Minds promotes them for a year, including creating opportunities for authors to speak at farm bureau events. Recko said they’ve been well received and popular, creating a niche market, particularly among the agriculture community.

“Parents, grandparents, educators and librarians have an important role in helping young learners get a glimpse of the unfamiliar outside their classrooms, homes and communities,” Recko said. “Farms provide an engaging and educational destination for young learners as they explore the world through books.”