HISTORY

In 1838 a group of individuals with interests in agriculture - journalists, landowners and enthusiasts - had become convinced that science would help English agriculture become more productive and meet the growing food requirements of a booming population. They founded the RASE with this aim; though its attainment has seen remarkable changes of fortune over the years.

After the Napoleonic wars, popular opinion turned against ‘new fangled nonsense’; but the Society’s Journal and growing commercial prosperity rekindled enthusiasm for innovation with the early Victorians. Change followed, with rapid advances in agriculture and controversies and problems for the Society.

Then there was the agricultural depression to contend with where successive governments relied on cheap imports at the expense of home production in the 1930’s.

In the post-war revolution the Society helped research and development in agriculture to take off once again; the industry looked forward with new initiatives and opportunities.

When you look back at the rapid agricultural progress of the 19th and 20th Centuries, stop and think how many things were influenced along the way by the RASE: