A new study released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture gives a number to what locavores might have speculated -- local food is big business.
Local fruits and vegetables produced $4.8 billion dollars in 2008, the report said, and that number is expected to hit about $7 billion this year.
Even more exciting for local farmers, 80 percent of the local produce sales came from small farms making $50,000 a year or less.
Most of the revenue however comes from larger farms making $250,000 or more a year.
Overall the local produce sales only make up about 2 percent of total produce sales, but the number is encouraging for those promoting eating local.