Top 10 Best Farming Companies in Worthing

Farming in the Shadow of the South Downs

Worthing occupies an unusual agricultural position. To the south lies the English Channel; to the north, the chalk escarpment of the South Downs National Park. Between them runs a narrow coastal plain of fertile, free-draining soil that has supported intensive horticulture for well over a century. This strip, part of the wider Sussex growing region, once housed one of the largest concentrations of commercial glasshouses in the country, and although urban expansion has reduced that footprint, the agricultural character of the surrounding land remains strong.

The mix of enterprises is genuinely diverse. Arable farms on the Downs grow wheat, barley and oilseed rape; sheep graze the chalk grassland as they have for centuries; protected cropping continues in modern glasshouses producing salad crops and ornamentals; and a growing cluster of smaller holdings supply local markets, farm shops and restaurants directly. Understanding this diversity is essential to understanding why farming near Worthing cannot be judged by a single measure.

What Defines a Well-Run Farming Business

Modern farming is as much a management discipline as a practical craft. The strongest operations demonstrate soil stewardship through rotation, cover cropping and reduced cultivation. They manage water carefully, a serious concern on the chalk aquifer that supplies much of the region's drinking water. They maintain assurance scheme membership, providing traceability from field to retailer. They diversify sensibly, using farm shops, camping, events or renewable energy to buffer volatile commodity prices. Above all, they plan for succession and skills, because an ageing workforce is one of the sector's most pressing structural problems.

Ten Leading Farming Businesses Around Worthing

1. Downland Estate Farms

A substantial mixed arable and livestock operation working land on the chalk downland north of the town. Downland Estate Farms is recognised for its conservation-minded approach, maintaining chalk grassland habitat and wildflower margins alongside commercial cereal production. Its participation in environmental stewardship has made it a reference point for balancing yield with landscape value.

2. Coastal Plain Growers

One of the remaining large-scale protected cropping businesses on the coastal strip, producing salad crops under glass with modern climate control, hydroponic systems and integrated pest management. The business supplies regional wholesalers and retailers, and has invested in heat recovery and water recirculation to reduce input costs and environmental impact.

3. Adur Valley Livestock

Focused on sheep and beef, this farm grazes downland and river valley pasture. Its conservation grazing work supports biodiversity on sensitive sites while producing grass-fed meat sold through local butchers and farm shops. The business is frequently cited as an example of how livestock can play a positive ecological role when stocking is carefully managed.

4. Highdown Horticulture

A market gardening enterprise producing vegetables, soft fruit and cut flowers for local sale. Highdown Horticulture serves box schemes, independent greengrocers and restaurants across the Worthing area, and has built a loyal following through seasonal variety and short supply chains that keep produce genuinely fresh.

5. Sompting Arable Partnership

A collaborative farming arrangement pooling machinery and expertise across several holdings. This model spreads the heavy capital cost of modern equipment and allows precision farming technology, including GPS guidance and variable rate application, to be used economically on medium-sized acreages.

6. Findon Sheep Company

Sheep farming has deep roots in this part of Sussex, and Findon Sheep Company continues that tradition with a commercial flock managed across downland pasture. The business is respected for flock health management, careful breeding selection and its contribution to maintaining traditional grazing landscapes.

7. Broadwater Organic Farm

A certified organic mixed holding producing vegetables, eggs and cereals without synthetic inputs. The farm runs an on-site shop and educational visits, helping to connect a largely urban local population with food production. Its long-term soil monitoring data is often referenced by other growers considering conversion.

8. Cissbury Fruit Growers

Specialising in top fruit and soft fruit, including apples, plums and berries. The business supplies local retailers and processors and has expanded into juice and preserve production, capturing more value from crops that would otherwise be sold at commodity prices or wasted due to cosmetic grading.

9. Ferring Nurseries

An ornamental horticulture business producing bedding plants, shrubs and perennials for garden centres and landscapers. Ferring Nurseries reflects the region's strong tradition in nursery stock, and has adapted to peat-free growing media ahead of regulatory deadlines.

10. Sussex Regenerative Farming Group

A network of farms around Worthing adopting regenerative practices such as minimum tillage, diverse cover crops, herbal leys and integrated livestock. Rather than a single enterprise, it functions as a knowledge-sharing collective, and its trial data has influenced practice well beyond the immediate area.

Trends Shaping Sussex Agriculture

The transition in agricultural support from area-based payments to environmental land management has fundamentally altered farm business planning. Income now depends more directly on delivering public goods such as clean water, carbon storage, habitat creation and public access. Farms around Worthing, situated close to a National Park and a large population, are well placed to benefit but must document outcomes rigorously.

Technology adoption is accelerating. Soil scanning, variable rate fertiliser application, drone crop monitoring and automated glasshouse control are no longer experimental. They reduce input waste and improve margins, though the capital cost pushes many farmers toward shared machinery models or contractor services.

Direct selling continues to grow. Farm shops, veg boxes and restaurant supply allow producers to capture retail margin and build resilience against wholesale price swings, while meeting consumer demand for local, traceable food.

Challenges Ahead

Land pressure is acute on the coastal plain, where housing demand competes directly with productive horticultural land. Labour availability remains difficult for crops requiring hand harvesting. Water resource management on the chalk aquifer imposes real constraints on irrigation. And weather volatility, with wetter winters and drier summers, demands greater investment in drainage and storage.

Conclusion

Farming around Worthing is smaller in acreage than many English regions but exceptionally varied, combining downland livestock, coastal horticulture, arable production and a growing regenerative movement. The businesses profiled here succeed by pairing agricultural skill with sound commercial management and an increasingly sophisticated approach to environmental stewardship.