In a rare show of unified advocacy, 11 leading global associations representing the agricultural and agri-food value chain have co-signed an open letter voicing strong support for the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) multilateral trading system.

Timed with the opening of the WTO’s annual Public Forum in Geneva, the letter underscores the system’s pivotal role in maintaining global food security amid a climate of geopolitical volatility, export restrictions, and growing supply chain fragmentation.

The coalition — spanning plant science, seeds and grains, fertilizer, dairy, farmer groups, and commodity traders — collectively represents more than 10,000 private-sector companies worldwide. Their message is clear: science-based, rules-driven trade remains the cornerstone of global agriculture.

“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,” the letter reads. “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.”

Emily Rees, President and CEO of CropLife International, personally delivered the letter to WTO Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

“An open, rules-based trading system is the invisible infrastructure that keeps food moving across borders, ensuring societies and economies are fed,” Rees said. “Geopolitical fragmentation threatens to unravel decades of progress. We must double down on global cooperation and innovation to keep the world’s food system resilient. The WTO is the bedrock — and we stand firmly on it.”

The signatories framed their intervention as forward-looking, committing to work with the WTO on a “robust and inclusive” agenda ahead of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference in Cameroon next March, signaling that agriculture will be a central pillar of the negotiations.

Industry observers say this united front could be a powerful signal to governments debating protectionist measures and export restrictions. With food inflation still a top political risk in many economies, the business community’s call for predictable, rules-based trade is likely to resonate far beyond Geneva.