6 Trends in Food and Agriculture Markets for 2025

Insights from the Leading Harvest Summit

This past month, farmers, global food companies, sustainability professionals, landowners and agricultural investors met in Seattle to look at the shared priorities across food and supply chains. The Leading Harvest 2024 Summit provided insight on the trends shaping the future of sustainable agriculture. With a footprint now spanning the US, Canada, and Australia, and the release of its international standard, Leading Harvest continues to scale its mission of fostering sustainable farming practices globally. As a global supply chain improvement platform, Leading Harvest’s addition of a livestock-specific program signals its determination to broaden the application of its standards, reflecting the dynamic needs of the agricultural sector.

The three-day Summit underscored a collective commitment to environmental and social sustainability with economic viability, setting the stage for meaningful action in 2025 and beyond. Below is an overview of the six top trends that emerged from the conversation. 

1. The Need for Trust and Transparency

Trust emerged as a recurring theme throughout the Leading Harvest Summit, recognized as a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture. Farmers, landowners, and institutional investors grapple with diverse objectives, yet the ability to build transparent and mutually beneficial relationships stood out as a unifying goal. Transparency in leases, data sharing, and sustainability practices formed the backbone of many discussions, demonstrating that collaboration flourishes when all parties are clear and secure in their roles and responsibilities.

This trust-based approach is particularly critical as more agricultural leases incorporate social and environmental sustainability provisions. Landlords and investors are increasingly aligning tenant expectations with broader environmental goals, focusing on initiatives like soil conservation, water management, and greenhouse gas reductions. 

While challenges such as short-term leases and the complexities of data collection persist, a shared commitment to building trust and transparency across supply chains was a thread that ran through all conversations. By creating frameworks that value transparency and foster trust, stakeholders are improving food production, advancing land management goals and transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.

2. The Power of Metrics to Drive Action

Metrics and measurable outcomes are reshaping the agricultural landscape. The Leading Harvest Summit underscored the critical role that data plays in aligning stakeholders around shared sustainability objectives. From tracking soil health and greenhouse gas emissions to on-farm labor practices, robust metrics help create a continuous cycle of improvement. For example, wine producers and California landowners talked about the ways they are driving value in production by deploying Leading Harvest’s easy-to-use farm management tools to track real-time social and environmental sustainability practices. 

Leading Harvest is defining priority metrics—supported by a grant from the Walton Family Foundation—underscores the importance of aligning environmental and social performance indicators with practical, actionable insights for farmers and land managers. This effort will provide supply chain improvement pathways for organizations looking to see how they stack up against the myriad acronyms that currently dominate conversations on global frameworks including SAI, CFT, SISC, SASB, Field 2 Market, GREET and the standards laid out in new CSDDD standards.

Tracking these metrics are not without challenges. The burden of data collection often falls disproportionately on farmers, who must navigate complex reporting requirements while maintaining their focus on core agricultural activities. Speakers highlighted the need to simplify data management and the importance of Leading Harvest’s ability to create clear insight and farm management pathways to achieve  social and environmental sustainability goals but also deliver tangible economic benefits to those working the land. When metrics are aligned with meaningful incentives, they become a powerful tool for fostering resilience and innovation across the sector.

3. Consumer Demand as a Catalyst for Change

Consumer behavior is an undeniable force shaping the future of sustainable agriculture and sustainable supply chains. The Leading Harvest Summit illuminated the growing expectation among consumers for products that align with their values, particularly around social and environmental responsibility. Campaigns that connect sustainability efforts directly to consumer experiences—whether through marketing, regulatory compliance or product innovation—can significantly amplify impact.

This intersection of consumer demand and agricultural supply chain sustainability is reshaping how stakeholders approach the market. Major brands and investors are seeking to quantify the benefits of sustainability practices, not only to improve their supply chains but also to enhance their messaging to end consumers. The ripple effect of consumer engagement creates opportunities to drive meaningful change from the ground up, as farmers and producers respond to these shifting expectations. As one speaker aptly noted, the future may hold a time when sustainability is as unquestioned a priority as health and safety in the workplace.

4. Technology as a Transformative Tool

The role of technology in agriculture was another focal point of the Leading Harvest Summit, highlighting its potential to revolutionize both efficiency and sustainability. Innovations in data collection, analysis and on-farm management are providing farmers with unprecedented tools to enhance productivity while improving social and environmental outcomes. Technologies like drones, satellite imagery, and AI-driven data systems are enabling precision agriculture on a scale previously unimaginable.

Yet, these advancements come with challenges. Many farmers are wary of the complexities and costs associated with adopting new technologies. To address this, industry leaders emphasized the need for solutions that simplify rather than complicate farming operations. By focusing on usability and relevance, technology providers can empower farmers to embrace innovation without losing sight of their core competencies. As generative AI and other transformative tools gain traction, the agricultural sector is in the midst of a digital revolution. Using Leading Harvest’s supply chain performance system with emerging technology  promises to simplify and strengthen supply chain decision-making and drive even more sustainable outcomes.

5. Long-Term Perspectives in Wine Grape Production

The  wine industry case study offered a compelling lens into the unique dynamics of long-term agricultural investments. The wine industry, with its emphasis on geographic specificity and quality, exemplifies the critical role of sustainability in high-value crop production. With vineyards requiring substantial upfront capital and careful stewardship over decades, the sector provides a model for aligning social and environmental practices with economic resilience.

Sustainability certifications have become increasingly important in this space, both as a marker of quality and as a response to consumer’s demand for traceability and supply chain trust. Yet, the challenge remains in effectively communicating the value of these certifications to buyers who may be unfamiliar with their significance. Leading Harvest is working with leaders across the wine industry to bridge this gap. The Summit highlighted the need for a concerted effort to work with industry groups to build trust and align messaging with the expectations, ensuring that sustainability becomes an integral part of the narrative surrounding premium agricultural products.

6. Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Practice

As the agricultural sector grapples with evolving policy landscapes, the Leading Harvest Summit highlighted the importance of aligning regulatory frameworks with on-the-ground realities. Policies designed to promote social and environmental sustainability must be both ambitious and practical, offering clear guidance while respecting the unique challenges faced by farmers and land managers. Efforts to harmonize international standards and address region-specific needs are critical to fostering widespread adoption.

Participants emphasized the value of collaborative approaches that bring together policymakers, investors, and practitioners. By fostering open dialogue and leveraging shared expertise, stakeholders can navigate the complexities of sustainability transitions more effectively. The Summit’s focus on convergence provided a roadmap for bridging the gap between policy intentions and practical implementation, ensuring that sustainability objectives translate into meaningful action and more clear incentives across the supply chain.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

At FarmTogether, sustainability remains at the heart of what we do. We are proud to be a member of Leading Harvest, an organization dedicated to advancing sustainable farming practices. In alignment with this commitment, 100% of our agricultural operations have been certified in conformance with the Leading Harvest’s Farmland Management Standard. This certification ensures that our farmland operations meet rigorous benchmarks for environmental stewardship, community engagement, and economic viability, contributing to a healthier and more sustainable future.

As we look ahead, we remain steadfast in our dedication to sustainable farmland management, creating value not only for our investors but also for the planet and future generations.