A common framework
Explore the framework here
Exploring the framework
Global Farm Metric categories, subcategories and indicators
Climate
Aim: Farms are resilient and adaptive to changing climate.
Subcategories and indicators:
Average conditions
- Stability in climatic conditions
Extreme events
- Climate risks to crop yields & quality & livestock health
Growing season
- Limitations of growing season
Community
Aim: Thriving communities provide the services & networks farming needs.
Subcategories and indicators:
Local services
- Access to key amenities
Farming services
- Access to key services for farming
Farmer network
- Support from community of practice
Nature
Aim: Diverse, healthy ecosystems support the long-term sustainability of farming.
Subcategories and indicators:
Farm biodiversity
- Health of farm biodiversity
Farm Habitats
- Quality of land for farming
- Farm habitat health
Environmental hazards
- Level of air pollution
- Level of soil pollution
- Level of water pollution
Soil & water
Aim: Healthy soil & water systems support the long-term sustainability of farming
Subcategories and indicators:
Soil health
- Structural health of soil
- Health of soil biology
Soil fertility
- Level & availability of soil nutrients to plants
Water
- Availability of water for plants
- Level of water reserves on farm
Governance
Aim: Farmers & workers are empowered and supported to implement sustainable farm management in safety & security.
Subcategories and indicators:
Status
- Level of legal protection
- Management stability
Priorities & support
- Prevalence of sustainability in farm priorities
- External support for farm sustainability
Decision-making
- Approach to managing decisions
- Level of inclusivity
Resources
Aim: Farm resources are well maintained, safe & fit for purpose.
Subcategories and indicators:
Buildings
- State of buildings
Infrastructure
- State of infrastructure
Equipment
- State of equipment
Inputs
Aim: Farms recognise and manage the risks of reliance on inputs.
Subcategories and indicators:
Inputs of consumables
- Use of external inputs
- Use of inputs from off-farm land
Inputs of non-consumables shared / used by agreement
- Use of external infrastructure & equipment
Inputs of services
- Use of contractors & service providers
Farmer & workers
Aim: Farmers & workers make a good livelihood from farming, are safe & their rights protected. They are free from discrimination, their cultures & faiths are respected, & they have opportunities to learn & develop new skills.
Subcategories and indicators:
Health
- Health & safety of farmer & workers
Work & life
- Rewards for farm work
Skills
- Level of skills, knowledge & experience in workforce
Crops & pasture
Aim: Crops & pasture are healthy & resilient to their conditions
Subcategories and indicators:
Crop establishment
- Germination success level
Lifecycle
- Level of pre-harvest losses
- Perennial crop productive lifespan
Health
- Crop & pasture health level
Livestock
Aim: Livestock are healthy, enjoy a high quality of life & are resilient to their conditions.
Subcategories and indicators:
Lifecycle
- Livestock losses
- Productive longevity
- Fertility level
Health
- Health level of livestock
Quality of life
- Quality of life of livestock
Products
Aim: Farms produce high quality food, fibre, feed, or fuel products meeting societal needs, minimise waste through reuse, the use of by-products, & recycling, & deliver high quality in any services they provide.
Subcategories and indicators:
Quality
- Quality of products
Diversity
- Spread of production risk
Waste
- Quantity of unutilised materials and substances
Economics
Aim: Farms are viable, able to meet new challenges & opportunities, & face rewards & costs which fairly reflect the range & quality of their products & the positive & negative impacts of the farm on people & planet.
Subcategories and indicators:
Profit & costs
- Economic sustainability of farming
Financial resources
- Financial flexibility
Diversity
- Spread of economic risk
Farm Practices
Aim: Farm practices are optimised in terms of their effects on people and planet, the long- term viability of the farm and on current production, and monitoring drives constant improvement
Subcategories and indicators:
Farming practices
- Extent to which on-farm & off-farm impacts of farming practices are monitored
- Extent to which farming practices are adjusted to improve farm sustainability & optimise impacts on people & planet
Buying practices
- Extent to which buying choices are adjusted to improve farm sustainability & optimise impacts on people & planet
Economic practices
- Extent to which farm invests to improve farm sustainability & optimise impacts on people & planet
Farm Outputs
Aim: All farm outputs of products, waste, services, & disservices are recognised & valued in decision-making on-farm & beyond the farm gate
Subcategories and indicators:
Products
- Inventory of yields and amounts of all farm products produced, including utilised by- products and other valuable outputs
Unused products
- Inventory of amounts of materials, produce, nutrients, chemicals, greenhouse gases and natural resources wasted
Services
- Inventory of amounts of services produced (e.g., education, skills, carbon storage, protection of indigenous practices, conservation of genetic materials)
Disservices
- Inventory of amounts of disservices produced (e.g., experience of discrimination, loss of landscape features)
Impacts
Aim: Positive impacts of farming on people & planet increase & are valued. Negative impacts of farming on people & planet continuously reduce. Negative impacts of society on farmers & farming are recognised & continuously reduced. Positive impacts of society on farmers & farming increase & are valued.
Subcategories and indicators:
Off-farm impacts of farm
- Impacts of the production, processing & transport of farm inputs on people & planet
- Impacts of farming activities on people & planet
- Impacts of farm products, services & waste on people & planet
- Impacts of farm spending on external economic sustainability
On-farm impacts
- Impacts of farming activities on state of the farm
- Impacts of farm products, services & waste on state of farm
On-farm impacts of societal inputs & practices
- Impacts of external actions on state of farm
The Coalition
The Global Farm Metric Coalition is supported by over 130 organisations from across the global food and farming sector, including farmers, consultants, researchers, educators, environmental groups, certifiers, food companies, financial services and government agencies.
These are some of the organisations driving the mission.
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