The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP) has released a regional sustainable agriculture research agenda intended to guide collaboration, research and policy development across eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.

The Great Lakes St. Lawrence Sustainable Agriculture Research Agenda was developed as part of the organization’s Sustainable Agriculture Initiative, launched during the group’s 2025 Leadership Summit.

The agenda identifies five research priorities aimed at addressing challenges facing producers and the broader agricultural sector across the region. Those priorities include technological innovation and crop diversification, resilient supply chains, conservation practices, producer adoption of sustainable practices, and contaminants of emerging concern.

The initiative is chaired by Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Tim Boring. According to the organization, the agenda is intended to build on existing agricultural research efforts already underway across states, provinces, universities and nonprofit organizations.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region’s agricultural sector contributes more than $1 trillion to the economy and employs more than 6.5 million people, according to GSGP. The organization said producers are facing challenges including extreme weather, rising production costs, labor shortages, market volatility and environmental risks.

“The Regional Research Agenda serves as a roadmap for how the Great Lakes St. Lawrence region can lead in sustainable agriculture,” Boring said in a statement.

The research agenda was developed by a multistate and provincial committee made up of agriculture departments and ministries, with input from regional stakeholders.

The five priority areas outlined in the agenda are intended to support goals related to soil health, water quality, water management, economic vitality and community health.

GSGP includes the governors and premiers of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Québec and Wisconsin. The organization focuses on regional economic development and protection of Great Lakes and St. Lawrence water resources.