G20 ministers agree on food, split on rules

The G20 trade ministerial in Milwaukee on Sept. 30–Oct. 1 ended with a clear consensus on preventing the weaponisation of food but left major differences over forced labour, structural overcapacity and the Most-Favoured-Nation rule, USTR said. Reaction pending.

Milwaukee consensus on food

The Office of the US Trade Representative released an assessment saying ministers "reached consensus on a statement addressing the weaponisation of food through coercive trade actions." USTR Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, "This week's G20 Trade Ministerial in Milwaukee was a success. It is especially significant that the entire G20 was able to reach consensus on the statement on the weaponisation of food through coercive trade actions."

Some members pressed harder on forced labour but the wider group did not agree. The United States, Mexico and Argentina issued a separate statement calling for the elimination of forced labour from global supply chains, while other economies declined to join a common text, USTR said.

On industrial overcapacity, officials discussed how structural excess production can distort markets; USTR said a "handful of members rejected creating a pathway toward cooperative action." On steel, participating economies agreed to a "Milwaukee Framework" intended to coordinate responses to excess capacity, USTR added.

Officials said discussions also explored ways to adapt the MFN principle to current global trade patterns but produced no specific reform package. Ministers signalled they will continue work ahead of the G20 leaders' engagements in late 2026.