Prince Charles has warned the "heart of the British countryside will be ripped out" if small farms are left to go bust while modern agriculture continues to damage the environment.
The Prince of Wales fears that intensive farming to produce cheap and abundant food has reached a "dead end" and carries "hidden costs" in the future.
It comes before tomorrow's publication of the National Food Strategy, the first large-scale review of Britain's food system in more than 70 years.
In an essay for BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Charles criticised modern farming methods for contributing to the climate crisis and urged the industry to refocus.
"We must put nature back at the heart of the equation. How we produce food has a direct impact on the Earth’s capacity to sustain us, which has a direct impact on human health and economic prosperity," he said.
Charles warns that "the heart of the British countryside will be ripped out" if large-scale food production continues at the expense of small family-run farms.
He also praised the efforts of celebrity campaigners including Marcus Rashford, Jamie Oliver and Henry Dimbleby for helping to improve the nation's food system.
Despite his concerns, the Prince of Wales made clear he was optimistic that the country could change and move towards sustainable farming.
"If we regenerate degraded soils around the world, we could capture as much as 70% of the world's carbon emissions. Only by benefitting nature can we benefit people," he said.
The Prince of Wales is known for his commitment to sustainable farming through his operation of the Duchy Home Farm.
He converted the 900-acre Home Farm estate to organic farming in 1986 as well as growing fruit and vegetables at his family residence in nearby Highgrove House.
The proposals from tomorrow's report are expected to be put forward by restaurateur Henry Dimbleby as part of his National Food Strategy, which aims to improve dietary health in the UK.
Ministers plan to respond to the recommendations in a White Paper in six months.
.png?w=600)
