ROANOKE -- The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation yesterday kicked off a campaign promoting locally grown food by asserting that if each family bought $10 in local produce weekly, the state's agricultural economy would swell by $1.65 billion.

Virginia's agricultural sector currently does $2.69 billion in business annually.

"Buying locally is good for the local economy, it's probably healthier and it's certainly tastier," said Greg Hicks, spokesman for the bureau, as he stood in front of baskets of peaches being sold at the Roanoke Farmers Market. "Knowing all this, why wouldn't you want to eat fresh local foods?"

The bureau's Save Our Food campaign, launched during the state's Farmers Market Week, aims to educate Virginians not only about the health benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables, but about the economic impact they can have on the state's economy.

Virginia is home to at least 134 farmers markets, and all of them could benefit economically if Virginians dedicated a small percentage of their weekly grocery bill to them, said Matthew Benson, community viability specialist with the Virginia Cooperative Extension.

Benson calculated that if half of the state's households spent only $5 a week on local produce, the impact would still be significant: $400 million.

"That's an attainable goal," he said.

According to Benson, produce receipts in the Richmond area, Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck would jump $240.6 million a year if families spent an extra $10 a week locally.

Henrico County would be one of the biggest winners in the state if families embraced the $10-a-week plan: The number of "food dollars" generated annually in Henrico would jump $63.8 million, according to Benson. Chesterfield would see an increase of $58.1 million, he said.

For more details, visit SaveOurFood.org.
Contact Rex Bowman at (540) 344-3612 or rbowman@timesdispatch.com.