During a session on the future of sustainable trade, Oxford delegates heard from a representative of the US Department of Agriculture, on why he believed global trade was fundamental to incentivising farmers to adopt more sustainable practices.

“We all need to be thinking about adopting more sustainable farming practices, but we need a global trading system to link our farmers and encourage best practice between them,” said acting deputy undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, Jason Hafmeister, referencing examples of farmers globally exploring the likes of using conservation tillage, renewable energy, and planting cover crops.

He argued that trade could open dialogues and knowledge exchange opportunities to enable and inspire more farmers to adopt these practices.

Commenting on some of the barriers to global trade, he added: “We need trade rules which don’t discriminate against production practices in different parts of the world, as this doesn’t create incentives for farmers, but instead stalls change.”

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Head of sustainable trade for the World Economic Forum, Kimberly Botwright, called for greater global collaboration on trade and to work together on issues such as driving up standards, instead of getting into trade wars.

“Trade deals and discussions need balance on both sides, or else it sours politics at home,” she warned. “We need to be careful that when market access is put on the table, it should also take in to account social factors.

"Let’s avoid having a race to the bottom, but have a conversation around building in sustainable principles.”