The Sussex And The City Podcast
– Episode #36
From Vineyards To Data Labs - Don't Underestimate Sussex' Rural Economy
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Jeremy Kerswell – Principal & Chief Executive, Plumpton College
🔍 Episode summary
Richard is joined by Jeremy Kerswell, Principal and Chief Executive of Plumpton College, one of the UK's last remaining independent specialist land-based colleges, set across 800 hectares at the foot of the South Downs.
Plumpton is not an ordinary college campus. It is a commercial farm producing millions of litres of milk, a vineyard bottling tens of thousands of bottles each year, a butchery, a dairy, an equine centre, a horticultural hub in Brighton, and a major regional employer serving agriculture, viticulture, forestry and environmental management.
Jeremy, who grew up in Sussex before returning a decade ago to lead the college, reflects on what it means to run an education institution that is also a business, a working estate and a skills engine for a sector facing national shortages.
The conversation explores the productivity challenge in farming and food, the rapid advance of technology in land-based industries, and the growing demand for apprenticeships and higher-level technical skills. It also tackles rural transport barriers, infrastructure gaps and the reality that accessing education in Sussex is often far harder than it looks on a map.
"Feeding the world and saving the planet are the two biggest global challenges we face – and they can be achieved in harmony."
This episode asks whether devolution could finally align transport, housing, skills and economic growth in a way that works for rural Sussex just as much as its towns and cities.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with Gaby Hardwicke Solicitors.
Gaby Hardwicke is one of Sussex's most established law firms, supporting individuals, families and businesses across Eastbourne, Bexhill and Hastings. From commercial and employment law to family, property and dispute resolution, they anchor expert legal services firmly in the region. But a standout strength is their dedicated Rural & Agricultural team, advising farmers, estates and landowners on land management, diversification, succession, environmental schemes and the shifting economics of countryside life.
In Sussex, where our rural economy, landscape and identity are entwined, this expertise matters. Gaby Hardwicke helps the county grow, adapt and protect what makes it unique, blending modern legal knowledge with deep local understanding. Visit gabyhardwicke.co.uk.
🎯 Why this matters
Land-based industries are often dismissed as traditional or declining. In reality, they are technologically advanced, globally connected and facing significant skills shortages.
Sussex's rural economy is central to its identity, landscape and visitor appeal – yet transport, infrastructure and fragmented governance make long-term planning difficult.
Jeremy argues that if Sussex is to lead in sustainable land management, food innovation and environmental technology, it will need joined-up strategy, employer-led skills planning and fewer structural silos.
🧠 Topics covered include:
- What it really means to run a college that is also a farm and commercial estate
- The national skills gap in agriculture, viticulture and environmental management
- Robotics, data and digital literacy in modern farming
- Why land-based industries are more advanced than many assume
- The cost and complexity of rural transport for students
- SEND, socio-economic barriers and access to education in Sussex
- Whether devolution could genuinely join up skills, infrastructure and growth
- Why Sussex should be leading the UK in sustainable land management
- What a successful Sussex in 2035 might look like
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman Guest: Jeremy Kerswell Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey Production management: Letitia McConalogue
📣 Get involved
Should Sussex lead the UK in green growth and land-based innovation? Can devolution fix transport, skills and infrastructure for rural communities?
👉 https://sussexandthecity.info — episodes, resources and events