The public's perception of the food industry is examined by Jonathan Holmes, an independent agronomist. He can be contacted at: Yorkshire Arable Marketing, (07976) 894842, or e-mail jonathan@yam.uk.com

HOW often do we think: where does the food we eat come from? It is an interesting question, and one all too often answered by: the supermarket. But where did the supermarkets source their produce from, and what standard was it produced to?

The rapid development of the food supply chain to complement our hectic lifestyles is a fascinating indicator of just how highly-developed our society has become. I don't think that this has heralded an improvement in quality - but it certainly is an improvement in choice and availability for the consumer.

Recently, I was involved in a debate on food and farming at my son's sixth form college, with the emphasis on the future of genetically-modified food. I have been involved in food production all my life, so I understand and appreciate the great strides that the food production industry has achieved, but the lack of fundamental knowledge among this educated group of youngsters was staggering. The realisation that these youngsters were representative of our wider society was also quite worrying.

Before I broached the potentially-contentious subject of genetically-modified food, I thought that I would establish their basic understanding of the food that they ate. The results were at first laughable, but increasingly worrying because it meant that they didn't know about food production, and their parents didn't as they hadn't told them, and consequently their children wouldn't know either.

Three generations ignorant of our food history. Interestingly, they didn't think that it mattered. The vicarious pleasures of a society that has never been short of food.

I was asked such amazing questions as:

"Do you really have to kill a pig to get bacon?"

"How do you pick so many potatoes off a tree for every one to eat?"

"How many strawberries does a cow have to eat to make strawberry milkshake?" Now we are making progress, because at least she knew that cows produce milk!

"Is yoghurt really made of milk?"

They were staggered to realise that the green grass-like stuff in the fields that goes a lovely golden yellow before it is harvested is made into flour, and then of course into bread!

Initially I found the whole experience quite demoralising, but I did prevail.

To be continued

Updated: 11:18 Wednesday, April 21, 2004