The Global Forum on Farm Policy & Innovation (GFFPI) convened its second workshop in Washington D.C., bringing together over 70 participants from 17 countries, including government officials, industry representatives, and trade policy experts. This initiative was built on the inaugural workshop hosted at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, which focused on the ideal state of agriculture sustainability and trade and was summarized in a comprehensive report. This second edition delved deeper into the critical intersection of trade policy and agricultural sustainability: it explored ways to integrate sustainability into global trade frameworks and develop standardized measurements to avoid unintended consequences. This workshop aimed to advance the dialogue on sustainable agriculture in international trade, building on insights from the Paris meeting and pushing the conversation forward. 

The workshop highlighted the complexities of balancing trade and sustainability objectives, emphasizing the pressing need to align trade rules with sustainability goals while avoiding unintended consequences. 

Participants acknowledged that poorly designed policies could lead to trade distortions or exacerbate existing issues. A key insight was that sustainability initiatives must be practical and aligned with farmers’ goals and local conditions. Participants advocated for an outcome-based approach using clear definitions, principles, standards and science-based metrics to bridge global objectives with local realities to achieve this. 

Key indicators such as soil health, carbon measures, water usage, and biodiversity were proposed as benchmarks, though further work is needed to define precise outcomes for these indicators. The discussions grappled with fundamental questions, including whose sustainability should be prioritized in trade agreements—the exporting country, the importing country, or global outcomes. Participants also explored the tensions and trade-offs between the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability. 

Key findings and ideas to explore include: 

• Integrate local conditions to avoid unintended consequences 
• Adopt an outcome-based approach to sustainability, starting with soil health, water, biodiversity and carbon measures as benchmarks 
• Develop a Sustainable Agriculture Trade Framework with clear definitions, science-based standards and guiding principles 
• Strengthen international cooperation to promote policy coherence 
• Invest in globally accepted metrics and data management for agricultural sustainability 
• Prioritize innovation and technology in sustainable agriculture 
• Engage farmers in policy development 
• Reframe sustainability as an opportunity 

Download PDF