Nation's First Farm-to-Table Explorer Passport Launches! Mayor Hou Invites Families to Conquer the Planet of Taste

'The Picky Eater Monster' has landed at New Taipei City Hall, inviting children and adults alike to join the Taste Planet Defense Squad! Today (the 14th), New Taipei City Government held the opening press conference for the '2026 New Taipei City Agricultural Education Exhibition: Taste Planet – The Picky Eater Monster Attacks.' Mayor Hou You-yi joined students on-site to tour the exhibition and officially launched the nation’s first 'New Taipei City Agricultural Exploration Passport.'

The exhibition will be open free of charge from today until August 22 at the City Hall’s 1st-floor lobby. Through an original IP storyline, gamified interactive installations, displays of local agricultural and fisheries products, and a digital stamp-collecting experience, children will learn about food origins, seasonal eating, and balanced nutrition—all while having fun.

A giant inflatable 'Picky Eater Monster' and immersive 'Taste Planet' scenery attract visitors’ attention. Participating children become defenders of the planet, completing missions such as 'Energy Restoration,' 'Seasonal Order,' and 'Energy Cooking.' By matching ingredients, identifying seasonal foods, and combining dishes, they help the monster restore planetary energy while learning about local New Taipei products like green bamboo shoots, sweet potatoes, yams, pumpkins, New Taipei tea, Wanli crab, and Gongliao abalone.

Mayor Hou You-yi also joined the experience, operating interactive devices alongside children and completing stamp-collection tasks—demonstrating how agricultural education extends from exhibition halls to family dinner tables.

Mayor Hou emphasized that agricultural education isn’t just about telling children 'what to eat,' but helping them understand where food comes from, who works hard to grow it, and how every dietary choice connects to land, farmers, and the environment. New Taipei City has long integrated agricultural education into children’s daily lives through school lunches, field guidance, parent-child activities, and cross-departmental collaboration. This year, the original 'Picky Eater Monster' IP ties together the exhibition narrative and challenge missions, transforming concepts like balanced diets, seasonal eating, and food appreciation into child-friendly, engaging experiences—starting with 'one more bite' to discover New Taipei’s delicious flavors.

Hou also announced the launch of the 'New Taipei City Agricultural Exploration Passport,' a nationwide first that uses existing New Taipei Children’s Cards or Happiness Cards as identity verification and experience-tracking tools for agricultural learning. Children aged 2–12 enrolled in the 'Fresh Milk Happiness Week' program can participate in agricultural missions, digitally collect stamps, and accumulate experience records without needing a new card. The platform serves as a one-stop information hub for citywide agricultural education, integrating annual events, public venues, expert resources, and learning materials—systematically linking physical activities with online resources. This allows children to carry 'one card' from milk subsidy services to year-round agricultural experiences.

According to the Agriculture Bureau, during the exhibition period, children eligible for the city’s 'Fresh Milk Happiness Week' program who bring their Children’s Card or Happiness Card, register for the 'New Taipei City Agricultural Exploration Passport,' and complete stamp-collection missions can redeem a limited daily gift: a mini sample of 'Tea Artisan Selected Loose-Leaf Tea from New Taipei.' Quantities are limited and available while supplies last. Additionally, agricultural workshops led by farmers from the Greater Taipei area (including Taipei, Keelung, and Taoyuan) will be held. Online registration opens today (14th) at noon. The event also collaborates with the Taiwan Good Foundation to showcase achievements in school-based agricultural education and sustainable living, promoting resource reuse and carbon reduction.

The '2026 New Taipei City Agricultural Education Exhibition: Taste Planet – The Picky Eater Monster Attacks' runs from today until August 22, daily from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, at the 1st-floor lobby of New Taipei City Government. Residents are encouraged to visit with their children during summer break to challenge the Picky Eater Monster, complete stamp missions, and explore New Taipei’s local flavors. Exhibition and workshop registration details are available at the event website (https://yeahyeah15.wixsite.com/2026agriedu). The 'New Taipei City Agricultural Exploration Passport' (https://www.agriculture-dfapass.ntpc.gov.tw/) provides ongoing updates on citywide agricultural activities.