Being able to trace what's on your plate back to its very place of origin is set to be a staple requirement for all produce and is currently a burning issue in the food industry

A trip to the local supermarket is now a truly international experience. The food on the shelves is often more well-travelled than we are, and the sad truth is that while we are offered beef from Argentina, and apples from South Africa, just a few miles down the road our countryside is fast turning into a useless wasteland.

It used to be the case that organic, GM, and food additives were the top 'foodie' debates, but no more. Now, the most pressing food issue on the nation's plate is about food provenance - where our food comes from.

Here's a brief guide as to why food provenance is important, and how you can help influence the situation.

Clock up green miles, not air miles
Only 63 per cent of the food we eat is home-produced and, since one third of our household carbon emissions come from the food we buy, it is wise to reduce them by making sure your food hasn't travelled thousands of miles across the globe. Some of the figures are shocking. For example, the CO2 emissions caused by air-freighting a single basket of strawberries from New Zealand is equivalent to 11 school runs.

What you can do: Always check the label to find out where your food has come from. Ideally, we should buy produce that is within just 12 miles of the shop. By following this rule, it is estimated that the environmental costs would fall from £2.3 billion a year to under £230 million.

Why local is the new organic
While eating organic food is healthier, it's worth remembering that a whopping 76 per cent of the organic food sold in our supermarket comes from abroad. British farmers are not equipped to deal with the growing demand so last year, supermarkets had to import organic produce like apples, milk and beef.

What you can do: Avoid organic food that is flown into the UK and instead eat seasonally. Buying local, seasonal produce is good for the local economy, but it is also the healthiest option since less of the nutrients will be lost in transit. For more information about what is in season each month visit www.eattheseasons.co.uk

'Super' markets?
For years our supermarkets have pushed UK farmers to the brink of extinction. The average age of a British farmer is 60, and only one per cent of the population is employed in agriculture. In 2005, one milk producer a day was being forced to close down because they were having to sell under the cost of production. Now milk is imported from Poland.

Supermarkets are finally waking up to the fact that they need to act more responsibly. Tesco has just opened its first regional sourcing office and is proposing to put carbon emissions labels on their products. Waitrose was recently found to be the highest importer of fruit and vegetables yet promotes local produce. Morrisons have so far been the best at using UK producers.

What you can do: Demand that your supermarkets do more to let you know where your food comes from and advertise local produce so it's easy to find on the supermarket aisles. If you can't see a label that tells you where a product originated, tell a member of staff or email a complaint to the supermarket.

Love thy foodie neighbour
Local producers have suffered from the control supermarkets have had over how people shop, but publicity via projects like Rick Stein's 'Food Heroes' has increased the public's growing interest in quality artisan food, allowing them to stage a revival. There is now more 'protected destination of origin' produce, which restricts it from being imitated outside the areas where it originates (Stilton cheese, for instance) and campaign groups like the Campaign to Protect Rural England have also helped.

Gordon Ramsay is a big fan of their local food campaign, and says: 'Local food matters because it's fresh, it's seasonal, it's distinctive and it tastes great. The producers care about the quality of their food, and it matters to them if we don't.'

What you can do: Try to find out more about the local producers in your area and, if possible, visit a farmers market to buy your weekly shop or get a fruit and vegetable box delivered. For more information about where to find your local producers, farmers markets and food boxes, visit the Soil Association website.

Taking stock
It's important to make sure that the food you enjoy doesn't make a dent on the world's fragile eco-systems. Big fish stocks have fallen by 90 per cent since the 1950s and in 50 years there may be no fish in the sea, so it is now crucial that the fish we buy is sourced from a sustainable supply.

What you can do: Only buy fish that is approved by the Marine Stewardship Council. Some of the supermarkets, including M&S and Waitrose, carry labels that certify their fish came from sustainable fish stocks.