More than 240 farms around the world have tested a framework that could change how we grow food – and how we value it.

Yesterday, the Global Farm Metric (GFM) launches a new report sharing the results from farm trials across 23 countries and six continents. It reveals how a shared sustainability framework can transform the way we measure and value progress in agriculture.

The GFM's report brings together insights from two years of field trials involving smallholders, large-scale producers, retailers, policymakers and advisors. It shows how application of the GFM framework across diverse farming systems and geographies can provide a shared definition of farm sustainability and a powerful tool to drive improvements.

Using the GFM framework, farmers were able to collect whole-farm data across environmental, social and economic dimensions – even in resource-constrained settings. This helped farmers identify areas for improvement, track progress and connect with supply chains and policy systems. Despite practical challenges like time and cost, most trials were completed successfully – especially where farm advisors or digital tools provided support.

The findings demonstrate strong global demand for harmonised, outcomes-based sustainability tools that are flexible enough to adapt to local contexts.

Reflecting on taking part in the trials, a Kentucky farmer said:

"Participating in this program improved my confidence as a solo operator, because I got data and validation. It's also motivated me to do things that I've been wanting to do but wasn't sure whether it would be worthwhile. It's good to see that 'Yes, it is worthwhile'."

While a farmer in South Africa commented:

"The detailed nature of the assessment revealed areas of my farming practices that I hadn't previously considered, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive approach to sustainability."

The report comes at a critical time for global agriculture. With new trade agreements raising fresh questions about food standards, transparency and fairness in global supply chains, the GFM offers a timely solution: a globally relevant, outcomes-based framework that helps level the playing field and uphold sustainability in food production, wherever it takes place.

As the climate and nature crises deepen, the GFM also offers a way to connect grassroots action with system-wide change, ensuring that food produced to higher environmental and social standards is visible, valued and rewarded. Aggregated data from the trials is already informing policy design, procurement strategies and outcomes-based support mechanisms in the UK and beyond.

"What we grow and how we grow it has never mattered more. These trials show that it's possible to collect consistent, whole-farm sustainability data – and to use that data to drive positive change across the system," said Fabia Bromovsky, Director of the Global Farm Metric. "In a world of fragmented standards and rising pressure on farmers, the GFM provides a unifying language and shared set of goals that can guide decisions from farm gates to government desks."

Key recommendations
The report urges stakeholders across the food system to adopt the principles of the Global Farm Metric and align their sustainability efforts:

• All stakeholders: Adopt a holistic framework to define, measure and advance farm sustainability across the sector.
• Farmers: Use the GFM to explore whole-farm sustainability to identify opportunities for improvement, connect with networks and unlock support across the value chain.
• Finance and policymakers: Implement an outcomes-based approach to policy design, monitoring and evaluation to enable and incentivise farm-level sustainability.
• Retailers and supply chains: Align data collection to drive transparency, inform procurement and invest in more sustainable farming.
• Assessment providers: Harmonise tools to reduce duplication and collect holistic, locally relevant data.

The release of the report accompanies the launch of GFM 2.0, a refined version of the framework shaped by the trials. If you have an idea for using the GFM or are interested in running your own trial, visit globalfarmmetric.org or contact the team at info@globalfarmmetric.org. [ENDS]