In contrast, there can also be lots of positive benefits (also known as ‘positive externalities’) from food and farming systems that similarly go unaccounted for. Farmers might contribute to biodiversity restoration or the maintenance of cherished landscapes that the public like to enjoy, yet often they are not rewarded financially for their actions.

This all creates a distorted pricing system for food, whereby food that appears to be ‘cheap’ is often the most costly for our environment and health. On the other hand, sustainably produced, healthy food can be very expensive and out of reach for many. We are therefore working to redress this distorted economic environment for food and farming. 

The European Nitrogen Assessment has estimated that collectively, the costs of nitrogen fertiliser-related damage range is as high as €320 billion, or up to €750 per person every year throughout the EU, about two-thirds of which relates to agriculture. Although intensive farmers get somewhere in the region of a three-fold return for the money they spend on nitrogen fertiliser, because it is not taxed and its production in some countries is even subsidised, the true cost to society is estimated to be up to three times greater still. Recognising the true cost of nitrogen fertiliser would encourage a shift away from this damaging input and towards regenerative practices that use nitrogen-fixing plants such as clover, beans and other legumes to fix nitrogen naturally in the soil.

There is now increasing evidence showing the direct links between the intensification of our agriculture and food systems and the rapid rise of a range of diseases which are now resulting in increasingly unaffordable treatment costs. These include diet-related illnesses such as obesity, type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, allergies, some cancers, and diseases of the immune system, many of which are being directly linked to the way food is currently produced and consumed. Obesity alone has a global economic impact of around $2 trillion annually, or 2.8% of global GDP, and it is estimated that in the United States its cost could be as high $344 billion by 2018, equivalent to 20% of total spending. An investment in sustainable agriculture and a better understanding of the connection between diet and health or linking health insurance premiums to improve diets, could reduce these health treatment costs to the benefit of individuals and society.

Knowledge and understanding

Many farmers and farming stakeholders want to be more sustainable, but a lack of clear, shared knowledge often gets in the way. Conflicting advice, complexity and siloed definitions cause confusion and overlook the interconnectedness of the farming system. This can mean positive impacts in one area (like carbon emissions and sequestration) mask negative consequences elsewhere (like biodiversity and soil health). Without a common, holistic understanding of farm-level sustainability, aligned decision-making remains out of reach.

Measurement and monitoring
It’s difficult to track progress without a baseline for comparison. Yet many farmers and supply chain actors struggle with data collection tools that are narrow in scope, burdensome or not tailored to farm context. Without consistent, meaningful data, it’s hard to track progress, prove impact or access funding. This gap limits the ability of all stakeholders to plan, support and scale what works.

Systemic and structural
From the weather and soil type, to politics and resource availability, farmers are influenced by forces beyond the farm gate. Markets, policies and financial pressures often reward short-term gains over long-term sustainability. Until these systems evolve, farmers—and those who buy from, advise or regulate them—will continue to face barriers that slow progress and constrain innovation.

Knowledge and understanding
The GFM provides a shared language for sustainability – clear, consistent and grounded in farming realities. It frames sustainability as a whole-farm, whole-system concept, helping farmers and stakeholders understand how environmental, social and economic outcomes interconnect. By making the system visible, the GFM supports learning and alignment across the food system.

Measurement and monitoring
Developed with and for farmers, the GFM is designed to be embedded within existing data collection tools to enable a practical, outcomes-based approach to assessment. The framework is adaptable, facilitating consistent measurement that’s suited to local contexts. By focusing on shared outcomes rather than prescriptive actions, it creates data that is useful for farmers, comparable across farms and actionable for supply chains, investors and policymakers.

Systemic and structural
The GFM helps align stakeholders by anchoring decisions in shared outcomes that matter to all – from farmers and advisors to government and finance. It bridges farm practice with policy and market expectations, enabling better reporting, guiding investment and supporting systems that reward long-term sustainability. In doing so, it lays the groundwork for collaborative, structural change.