Prince Charles has urged the British public to shun imported produce in favour of locally produced food, in a step to raise awareness of the importance of buying British, saving the family farm and protecting countryside livelihoods.
Writing for Country Life magazine, Prince Charles said farmers made a "huge contribution" to the UK's "food security, environment and prosperity".
He said farmers and rural communities were facing a "grave situation" but added people "really can help by buying British food whenever we can." He called on the public to harness their consumer power via an impassioned plea over “our living, breathing, working countryside”.
The Prince is frequently outspoken on countryside affairs and in his latest dispatches wrote: “On a sufficient scale the purchasing decisions of individuals can and do change markets.
“Those of us who care enough about the grave situation facing our farmers and rural communities really can help by buying British food whenever we can. In doing so, we are also more likely to be getting fresh, high quality produce from a known and trusted source, offering good value for money.
“It seems to me that the key is to make it as easy as possible for people to know when they are buying British - and why that is a good choice.”
The prince suggested many people were perhaps overlooking the importance of farmers to the UK.
Charles stressed the important contribution small family farms make to rural communities and raised questions about industrial scale farming.
“Is it really sensible to rely on very small numbers of huge, industrial-scale farms, dairies and abattoirs?” the Prince asked.
He finished his lengthy leader with a word of warning: “This may be considered merely romantic but, to me, our living, breathing, working countryside is one of the great glories of this country. I think we should treasure it, including its people, while we still can.”
