On January 1^st over fifty-percent of Americans will make annual New Year’s resolutions.

Statistically the most common resolutions include quitting smoking, losing weight, and getting out of debt. However, as most of us know, by January 1, 2012 only 10 percent of those resolutions will have been met or maintained.

I can say with certainty I have never been apart of that 10 percent club. I easily make claims of change on December 31^st that last maybe 30 – 60 days before I forget about my fresh start and return to old habits. Initially this year I had planned on making my New Year’s resolution to no longer have New Year’s resolution. That was until I heard a simple statistic at the Virginia Small Farm Family Conference that has given me an idea I can’t shake.

It takes $10 a week from each Virginia household to generate $1.65 billion for the Virginia economy.

That is to say a study by Virginia Cooperative Extension found that if each Virginia Household spent only $10 on local food and farm products weekly, it would annually generate $1.65 billion in direct economic impact for the Virginia economy.

The study goes on to show that in just our southeast region we could reinvest $384.2 million into our LOCAL economy.

What would happen.

Statewide, that is a “B,” as in billion people! I could not get over this statistic. I became obsessed with telling everyone I knew and wanting to wear a homemade billboard everywhere I went that boasted of such a simple and easy way to save our local farms and our local economy. Especially when last year 62% of all Virginia farmers reported a net loss from their farming operations.

I went on to learn that Crossroads Resource Center reported that the state losses $8.9 billion in potential revenue each year by purchasing food from out of state. Ken Meter reported in 2007 at the Virginia Food Security Summit, “Virginians annually spend $14.8 billion on food. This includes, $8.1 to eat at home, and another $6.7 billion to eat out. Of this amount, approximately $8.9 billion represents a lost economic and social opportunity for Virginia farmers and communities because the money is spent on food coming from outside Virginia, is not as economically embedded in communities, and generally leaves the state.”

And that is when I got the idea that instead of everyone making some silly resolution like not drinking 4 Coke Zero’s a day (really, I have to stop) we all commit to buying $10 of local food or farm products weekly.

It Really Is Just That Easy!

Buy Fresh while keeping it local.

Actually, to make it even easier there are websites out there to help you locate where you can purchase local food in the area. Both Local Harvest and Buy Fresh, Buy Local can get you started. And because I am so passionate about this and want to see everyone commit to buying $10 of local produce a week, the Five Points Community Farm Market, where I am a manager, will be kicking off “Buy $10 a Week” campaign in the New Year. To make your resolution even more challenging, spread the message. Get 10 of your friends to commit to $10 a week. Or even push your favorite local eatery to start buying at least 10% local food or farm products weekly. Spread the word; let’s start a movement!

It seems so simple, and yet it has changed the way I approach the entire local food movement. I can’t wait to see all the change we can create. With such an easy and small New Year’s Resolution we can bring billions back to Virginia.

And just think, no annoying long lines for the elliptical machine at the gym, no nicotine patches, and I can still drink all the Coke Zero I want! (I’m such an addict, I must stop.) It is my best New Year’s Resolution ever, and one that I plan on keeping.