Brussels, 17 September 2025: 11 global associations from across the agricultural and agri-food sector have come together in a public show of support for the World Trade Organization’s multilateral trading system, co-signing an open letter published today.
As the WTO’s annual Public Forum opened in Geneva, these associations, led by CropLife International, wrote to recognise the critical role that the Organization plays in upholding its trading system, a crucial tool in addressing the current fragility of food security.
From plant-science, seeds and grains to fertilizer, dairy, farmers and traders, the signatory bodies collectively represent over 10,000 private sector companies across the world both directly and through their networks of national associations.
Their co-signed letter states: “The multilateral trading system underpinning the WTO has proven itself essential for advancing global food security by ensuring access to markets and technologies, supporting millions of smallholder farmers, and safeguarding against fragmentation and protectionism. Rooted in science- and rules-based principles, it fosters innovation, prevents arbitrary trade barriers, and offers developing countries a reliable framework that ensures agricultural trade remains inclusive, equitable, and predictable.”
They go on to state their readiness to contribute to a robust and inclusive global trading system for the future of agriculture in supporting lives and livelihoods.
Said Emily Rees, President and CEO of CropLife International, presenting the open letter to WTO Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, “The multilateral trading system, open and rules-based, provides the very framework which keeps food flowing openly and transparently around the globe, supporting societies ad economies alike. Yet geopolitical fragmentation can undo years of stability. We need global cooperation, we need innovation, and we need the multilateral trading system as the bedrock beneath us.
This show of collaborative, collective support for DG Dr Ngozi and her mission is for today, tomorrow and into our shared future. We stand ready to engage and align as we work towards the 14th Ministerial Conference in Cameroon next March and contributing to its successful outcomes.”