West Sussex Growers’ Association (WSGA) has celebrated its 100th year in existence, pointing out that growers have gone from transporting their crops by horse and cart and working long winter days by candlelight, to being part of a modern, highly technical and vital industry.
Today, the WSGA is widely recognised as a vital driver of the horticulture sector and is inspiring future generations of growers and sector leaders to safeguard the industry’s future. It represents more than 50 businesses which employ, in total, more than 10,000 people, contributing more than £1bn a year to the economy.
WSGA Chair Richard Hopkins said, “I am proud to see the WSGA reach its 100th anniversary milestone. The WSGA is an active and engaged association, in a stronger position now than it has been for many years. With a very local focus we can build strong relationships with local policy makers and schools and colleges to deliver a bright future for horticulture in West Sussex.”
The WSGA was established after the First World War when growers recognised the need to modernise the industry. Grower organisations worked to promote homegrown produce and drive improvements in the industry.
The NFU and the FBG (Federation of British Growers) came together in 1925 to form a central committee for fruit, vegetables and glasshouses, with West Sussex and Lea Valley Growers joining the NFU in 1927. In 1966, it officially became the West Sussex Growers’ Association, as it is known today.
Over the years WSGA has helped its members navigate the LSA (Land Settlement Agreement) of the 1930s, the Big Freeze of 1963 and the launch of the British Growers Look Ahead Conference (BGLA) in 1965. It also helped UK growers promote their products against Dutch imports in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as picking up the pieces of The Great Storm in 1987.
Today, the WSGA continues to work with the NFU in promoting horticulture, representing a wide range of businesses involved in crop protection, ornamental horticulture and food production. With a particular focus on seasonal labour, energy efficiency and sustainability, the organisation continues to be a crucial advocate for its members.
WSGA Chair Richard Hopkins added, “Working closely with the NFU, we have a clear vision on what we want to achieve. Our goal is to ensure that every secondary school child in West Sussex is aware of the major industry that exists on their doorstep and the wide range of exciting career opportunities in the horticulture sector. We have members in front of more than 5,000 school children every year and, last year, we launched a new pilot apprenticeship scheme, which has potential to expand and make a real impact.”
NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board Chair, and WSGA member, Martin Emmett commented, “From its origins in the early development of the greenhouse sector around Worthing to the progressive businesses now operating on the Sussex coastal plain, the WSGA has always represented growers in the vanguard of UK horticulture. This specialist branch of the NFU provides a unique focal point, enabling collaborative action between different sectors of horticulture on issues of local and national importance.”
