“Fifteen years after Foot and Mouth, the British farmer and consumer continues to be sold short by food processors, manufacturers and retailers working together to disguise and mislead on provenance and collectively collude in driving down farmgate prices. Producer margins are now squeezed to the point where we see most sectors losing money in the face of anonymous meat and dairy imports. “Until there is upfront consumer facing traceability on food packaging, on fresh meat counters and on menus to connect producers to the consumer, and empower the consumer to make considered choices, the future is as bleak as ever. “Meanwhile, report after report underlines that the consumer WANTS to support a sustainable farming industry and to know the truth about the food they eat but are blind sided by mislabelling and half truths, playing on the support there is for our farm industry, to sustain national retail and processor margins. “Britain’s ability to feed itself has fallen dramatically in recent decades, with self-sufficiency dropping from 78% to 60% in the past 30 years. The population is due to rise to 75 million in just 20 years and we have an industry that is hollowing out due to consumer disconnect and retail control.”