View the Charlottesville Area Guide (PDF)
View the Northern Piedmont Area Guide (PDF)

The Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign has been launched and expanded into the Northern Piedmont for the 2008 season. Last year's inaugural program in the Albemarle/Charlottesville area was a great success and helped link consumers with locally produced foods at farms, farmer's markets, retailers and restaurants. To build on the success of that program, residents of Fauquier, Madison, Culpeper, Orange, and Rappahannock Counties will be receiving a guide in their mailboxes in early May. In addition, a new Buy Fresh, Buy Local web site has been launched to provide residents across the region with information on participating farms, merchants, and restaurants.

"Last year's program was a great success on all accounts," said Melissa Wiley, Director of Special Projects for the PEC. "85% of farmers listed in the guide reported that their sales increased over the past year and that customers routinely mentioned using the guide a resource for finding local foods. We are excited about this progress and our expansion of the program into the Northern Piedmont as well."

For the Northern Piedmont region, PEC is partnering with local County governments, the Fauquier Farm Bureau and the Virginia Cooperative Extension to help customers identify and purchase local foods while dining and shopping at restaurants and markets. Area businesses will be utilizing Fresh Buy Local marketing materials and signage to highlight locally grown products on shelves and menus.

According to Matt Benson of Virginia Cooperative Extension there is a critical economic impact from increasing the amount of local food purchased in the area. "If each household in the Northern Piedmont spent $10 per week on locally produced foods and farm products, it would generate $32.9 million annual dollars of direct economic impact to the region's economy, farms, families and communities!" Local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries. Local farmers can offer produce varieties bred for taste and freshness rather than for shipping and long shelf life. By purchasing local foods, you will also strengthen your local economy, support endangered family farms, and safeguard your family's health.