Happerley, the food provenance group, decided at its inaugural advisory board meeting to form a new independent member-owned entity, possibly a co-operative.

The new organisation will deliver a credible body to validate, certify and promote provenance across the UK food industry for the benefit of both producer and consumer.

The advisory board, made up of leading figures from across the food and farming industry, met at Gloucester Services on the M5. Members include TV presenter and Gloucestershire farmer Adam Henson and the chairman is Peter Jinman, a former non-executive director of Assured Food Standards (Red Tractor).

Happerley founder, Matthew Rymer, said the meeting had been an important milestone.

He said: "Marketing, packaging, disingenuous labelling and a confusing array of often self-serving standards all undermine consumer confidence and provenance premium. Turn provenance transparent and you have the currency of truth.

"My intention was always to deliver this as a legacy project. I am grateful to have such a strong board advising on these next critical steps."

Adam Henson said: "There was real passion around the table for this project. I always say the best ideas start on a farm but it is rather fitting this one did. The truth of all our food starts in soil or sea somewhere.

"The problem for everyone is that truth gets too often obscured by the time it reaches shelf or plate. These next months will be critical but there is a real sense now that the consumer wants to know not an interpretation of where and how their food is produced, but to see the whole truth."

Phil Ponsonby, CEO (Trading) of Midcounties Co-operative, is also on the board: He said: "Midcounties Co-operative is committed to supporting Happerley. We are not only facilitating technology pilots but we now plan to appropriate additional resources to deliver considerable consumer engagement in and out of our stores across our region in the months to come. Transparency is at the core of our ethos and we see considerable potential for this project."

Pictured: The Happerley Advisory Board at its first meeting at Gloucester Services. From left: Chris Crookall-Fallon (Co-op Futures); Sian Edmunds (Burges Salmon); Peter Jinman OBE (chairman); Matthew Rymer (Happerley founder); Clifford Freeman (Gloucester Beef); Adam Henson; Tim Bennett (former head of Food Standards Agency and past president of NFU); Will Bennett (Director, Dairy Partners); Phil Ponsonby (CEO Midcounties Co-op)