Working with 26 farms across England, the trial explored the benefits of using a common framework to measure sustainability holistically. It found that the GFM helped farmers better understand their performance across economic, environmental and social indicators, while highlighting areas for improvement and action.
The short summary report outlines key learnings, including the importance of advisory support, reducing the burden of data collection and aligning public policy with practical farm-level realities. It concludes with five recommendations for Defra to help embed a harmonised, outcomes-based approach to agricultural sustainability in England.