Holy cow! One in 8 young Britons has seen cattle only on TV and not in real life

One in eight young adults in Britain is so unfamiliar with the countryside that they have never seen a cow in their life, while 20% have never ever visited the countryside, a survey has found.

A research by the Prince's Countryside Fund reveals that 10% of the Britons have admitted to seeing a cow only on television. About 2,000 people between 18 and 24 years were interviewed for the survey.

The survey also found that a good 40% of young Britons did not have basic knowledge about common fruits and vegetables and the seasons they are best grown in, highlighting a lack of understanding about farming.

For example, more than half of those surveyed, that is 54% of them, were not aware that strawberries are a summer fruit, while 9% did not know that turnips grow in winter.

Over 40% confessed that their knowledge of the countryside and farming is either 'poor' or 'extremely poor'. Only two in 10 said they believe their familiarity of the subject is 'good' or 'excellent'.

One fifth (or 18%) of the adults said they have never moved out of the city they currently live in.
The survey also revealed that many Britons think farmers in the country earn double the income they get, and estimated a farmer's annual salary to be at least £75,000.

One in four guessed a farmer's average income to be little less than £47,000. They also said they like the idea of quitting their day job to become a farmer and work on a field.

However, according to a 2015 government data, the average income of a British farmer fell below £20,000, which reportedly was the lowest since 2007, the Yorkshire Post reported.

"As a nation we have always prided ourselves on our beautiful and diverse countryside, said Lord Curry, chairman of The Prince's Countryside Fund. "But this research shows many of the younger population are losing touch with what the countryside has to offer and are unaware of how their food is produced," the Telegraph reported.

He urged Britons to support British farmers by buying home produced food.

About half of the 2,000 surveyed said they were willing to pay more for food items produced by local farmers.

While 42% said they consider the price of a product while buying irrespective of where it is produced, only 15% said they buy local food and consider it as a main motivator while purchasing.

According to the Times, a separate poll had revealed that 95% of farmers believe the general public lack the understanding about the challenges farmers face in their profession.