THE Cairns Group Farm Leaders are taking a joint statement to this COP 28 summit, calling for serious changes to the way sustainability-related trade barriers are legislated.

Led by Australia’s National Famers’ Federation, the Cairns Group is a coalition of farm representative groups from 14 different countries – including significant beef producing countries like Argentina, Brazil, Canada and New Zealand.

The coalition met this month 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 president David Jochinke said he 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.

David Jochinke

Farm Leaders members have today launched a joint statement 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 of the 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.

Source: Cairns Group