The issues surrounding agricultural exports have long been subject to severe debate and often fall out on world forums like the World Trade Organisation (WTO). One of the major causes of these disagreements arises from differences in the obtaining procedures on phytosanitary measures and rules of origin of different trade blocks for example SADC or ACP. It is in this light that efforts have been set in motion to harmonise global approaches to these issues. These are voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe. The standards serve as global reference systems for other existing standards and can also easily and directly be applied by all parties of the primary food sector. The certifications have been created as a response to the demands of consumers, where retailers and their global suppliers have created and implemented a series of sector-specific farm certification standards. The standards are primarily designed to reassure consumers about how food is produced on the farm by minimising detrimental environmental impacts of farming operations, reducing the use of chemical inputs, and ensuring a responsible approach to worker health and safety as well as animal welfare. The aim is to ensure integrity, transparency, and harmonisation of global agricultural standards.