Prince Charles has suggested that the future of humanity may depend on a change in farming practices.
Prince Charles
The 68-year-old royal made the remarks in his capacity as the patron of the Soil Association, which tries to promote more sustainable food and farming.
Speaking at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Central London, the prince said: "It is becoming ever clearer that the very future of humanity may depend to a very large extent on a mainstream transition to more sustainable farming practices, based of course on organic principles.
"Yet despite the extraordinary efforts of the Soil Association, including the work of the individuals and organisations in this room and of many others throughout the world, in terms of impact on the planet and public health, things have actually got worse, not better, with the majority of farmland still in so-called conventional production, and the organic market still small and relatively fragile."
Prince Charles has been an advocate of organic farming for many decades and he issued a stark warning to everyone in attendance at the event.
He said: "The impact of chemical fertilisers and pesticides on the soil biome, mirrored in our own stomachs as a result of excessive use of antibiotics, has been so devastating that it is now being said that we only have enough fertility left for 60 harvests."
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