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that they consumed less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
Conducting a preliminary analysis of the effect of a slight increase in local food purchases shows that if each household in Virginia spent $10 (of their total grocery dollars) every week on Virginia grown food that would amount to over $137 million every month invested in local farms, independent businesses, and communities. Annually, this contribution would be more than $1.65 billion.
Bringing together the social, environmental and economic aspects of agricultural systems is the emerging movement of buying fresh, locally produced foods and farm-based products. According to a variety of research surveys, $4 billion was spent on local foods sales in 2002. Additionally, it is projected that $5 billion will be spent on local foods sales during 2007 and $7 billion in food sales by 2011.
In Virginia, fresh, local foods and farm products can be purchased at grocery stores, online, specialty food outlets, co-ops, restaurants, farmers’ markets, community supported agriculture farms and roadside farm stands.
Nationally, 36 states have statewide marketing programs to promote local and state agriculture. In addition to “Virginia Grown” and “Virginia’s Finest”, a new statewide marketing campaign is underway, “Buy Fresh, Buy Local”. This campaign is designed to provide communication tools, organizing support, and marketing resources to grass root chapters that are working to rebuild local food systems and promote sustainable agriculture. Organizations throughout the Commonwealth are partnering to fully develop this campaign as a statewide slogan.
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