Contributions committed to the fighting fund set up to finance the campaign now stand at more than £100,000.

A website www.cobritishfarming.org.uk is also being developed which will act as a central point for publicising activities and events. There will be a link from the new site – which will be operational in the days before the launch – to the websites of all the partner organisations.

Research is also underway to look into the disconnection between food producers and shoppers. Results will be presented at a high profile national launch, scheduled for 14 April.

The campaign, which is the creation of leading agricultural organisations including all the UK's national farming unions, aims to highlight the contribution farmers, growers and the wider industry make to society. Public information leaflets, posters and banners will be unveiled and lorry sides will be decked out.

Speaking on behalf of the project partners, National Farmers' Union director general Richard Macdonald, said: 'The campaign is progressing at a rate of knots. We are well on schedule for a launch just before Easter and we want to encourage everyone in the industry to get involved. This is their campaign.' Mike Calvert, Chief Executive of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, said: 'The image of agriculture campaign aims to reconnect town and country and to increase mutual understanding of the important inter-relationship between the two and food producers and food customers. Each depends on the other.'

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