According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. Because of this we feel that it is important for youth to learn the importance of healthy foods, proper eating habits and exercise. We also feel that youth enjoy learning how the food gets from farm to table.

Hickman County Extension Agents partnered together to educate students on food. The 2017 Food Group met six times in a three week period between September 7th and September 25th. Each lesson consisted of learning (and sampling) different foods (such as where and how it grows, how it’s harvested and how it makes its way from farm to table), the nutritional value and some sort of physical activity to wrap it up. The goal for this program was simple: for students to be able to associate their food with parts of the plant and to try new foods! We wrapped up the sessions with a "Think your Drink" lesson, learned about dairy farming and the health benefits of milk. This program was targeted towards grades 1-3. Average daily attendance was 20 students.