A CAMPAIGN launched yesterday to persuade people to eat more British food has revealed a horrific lack of knowledge amongst the town-based public about the sources of the food on their plates.

A survey carried out in support of the latest buy local campaign, under the name of c/o British Farming, has revealed:

• Nearly 90% don't know that beer is made from barley, a fifth don't know yoghurt is made from milk and, shockingly, more than one in 10 people think we grow rice in the UK.
• Two thirds of people don't know sugar is grown in the UK, more than a third don't realise cherries are grown in the UK and nearly one in 10 don' t know we grow onions and tomatoes.
• Less than one in 10 people know British farmers grow most of the food eaten in Britain.
• More than half don't realise margarine is made from vegetable oil with more than a quarter thinking it is made from milk or animal fat.
• Nine out of 10 people have no family connection with farming, whereas two generations ago nearly a quarter of the population had relatives in farming

The campaign, which is being backed by a large cross section of organisations with farming or rural business interests, was launched in London yesterday in time for the Easter break, when many townsfolk take breaks in the countryside.

For more information, visit www.cobritishfarming.org.uk