The National Farmers' Union (NFU) claims that today, 14 August, is the day that the UK would run out of food if it had to be self-sufficient.
The NFU has calculated that if all the food produced in the UK in a year were stored and eaten from January 1, the 'cupboard' would be bare by today.
Its calculation forms part of its call for support for farmers from politicians, the public and food industry as British farming looks to produce more food.
NFU president Peter Kendall said: "To think that today's date would signal the time when our domestic food supply runs out is frankly alarming. It says to me that we must act.
"As an industry we have had a challenging decade but the realisation has dawned that as a nation we can't simply go around the world chasing the cheapest deal for our food.
"So, instead we need to look closer to home. Right across the board farmers have a fantastic natural capacity to produce more British food, given the right market signals and the confidence to invest."
To gather support for farming the NFU is launching a Back British Farming charter which people can sign.
NFU's Back British Farming Charter
1. Government must Back British Farming by working across all departments to support farmers in their challenge to produce more food to feed our nation
2. Retailers must Back British Farming by stocking more British food and working in partnership with British farmers to develop committed, fair and beneficial relationships
3. Caterers, chefs and restaurants must back British farming by sourcing more British food
4. We, the people, must Back British Farming by buying British food and demanding support for our farmers from retailers, politicians and all those who supply our food
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