Britain has always enjoyed a complicated relationship with food. The nation that once built a global empire in pursuit of spices eventually became famous for serving beige meals on plates the colour of weather forecasts.
Now experts are warning that Britain may be drifting toward a food crisis. The warning has prompted concern among farmers, economists, supply chain specialists, and several million people who recently discovered that food does not naturally appear inside supermarket refrigerators.
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For decades Britain has gradually reduced its agricultural capacity while increasing its dependence on imports. At the same time, large areas of productive land have been converted into housing developments, retail parks, solar farms, logistics centres, and coffee shops selling muffins named after emotional states.
The result is a fascinating national experiment.
Can a country feed itself using luxury flats and artisan sourdough?
Scientists remain sceptical.
Many British farmers have spent years warning that agriculture receives less attention than almost every other industry.
Politicians regularly praise farmers.
Television programmes celebrate farmers.
Supermarkets advertise farmers.
Yet actual farming often receives support in the form of paperwork, regulations, inspections, paperwork about regulations, and regulations about paperwork.
Farmers have become the national equivalent of offensive linemen.
Everyone depends on them.
Few people notice them until something goes wrong.
One challenge facing modern Britain is that much of the population lives far removed from agriculture.