Reports

Key terms and definitions

This glossary provides the definitions of GFM 2.0 terms, offering a common reference to enable clarity and consistency across all applications of the framework.

This short document sets out the definitions of the Global Farm Metric (GFM) 2.0 framework and its key terms. It provides a shared language to improve clarity and enable consistency when using the framework, supporting farmers, advisors, researchers, and policy makers in applying and communicating the GFM approach.

When using the GFM, you can refer back to these definitions whenever terms arise in discussions, reports or assessments to ensure alignment. It may be that terminology differs across contexts, but meanings align.

The glossary is not designed to be exhaustive but to serve as a practical reference point, helping different stakeholders use the GFM consistently and avoid confusion.

Related Reports

  • Farm trials with advisors in Wales reveal key barriers to engaging farmers in sustainability and how to overcome them. The report highlights the value of starting with a clear framework and using assessments as part of wider, collaborative systems change — timely insights as UK policy considers farm-level sustainability assessments.

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  • The Sustainable Food Trust, alongside partners Soil Association Exchange, LEAF, the Andersons Centre (with ABP), and BASIS Registration took part in the Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) Test & Trial programme.

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  • Explore GFM2.0 in more depth — uncover the scientific basis and reasoning behind the framework, and find definitions and explanations for its outcomes, categories and subcategories.

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The Global Farm Metric is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), unless otherwise stated. This means you are free to share and adapt our materials, provided you give appropriate credit and indicate if changes were made.