The Cairns Group Farm Leaders (Farm Leaders) have reinforced their commitment to their vision to create a world with an equitable and enforceable rules-based trading system in agriculture.

This coalition of national farm representative groups from Cairns Group countries met recently to discuss the many issues impacting agricultural exporting nations, reiterating their ongoing commitment to collaborate towards their shared goals.

Cairns Group Farm Leaders chair and National Farmers’ Federation (Australia) president David Jochinke was incredibly pleased to see firsthand the commitment of Farm Leaders members to continue to engage and collaborate with like-minded groups on these important issues for agriculture.

Farm Leaders members have launched a highlighting their concern at the growing prevalence of sustainability and climate change measures being used to create further barriers to freer and fairer international agricultural trade.

They have also stated their strong support for The Cairns Group statement on ‘The Contribution of the Multilateral Trading System to Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture and Food Systems’.

Mr Jochinke underlined calls for consideration of “sustainability” related trade policies.

“Sustainability conditions on trade and market access lack understanding and appreciation of unique local agricultural contexts. There is no ‘one size fits all approach’ to sustainability.”

Furthermore, the Farm Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a farmer-led approach to climate action ahead of parties convening at the UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai from 30 November to 12 December – many Farm Leaders members will attend to give agriculture a voice in this important multilateral forum.

The Cairns Group is a coalition of 19 agricultural exporting countries that work together to advance the liberalisation of agricultural trade.