Gafta’s new President Brian Arnold tells Miller Magazine the association will prioritise sustainability and the shift to digital trade documentation, highlighting progress on e-phyto certificates while urging wider legal recognition of electronic bills of lading and stricter contract discipline to reduce delays and disputes.

Brian Arnold
President of Gafta

Brian Arnold, senior export manager at U.S.-based grain exporter The DeLong Co., Inc., has taken office as the new President of Gafta: The Grain and Feed Trade Association, succeeding Paul Harrison at the organization’s 2026 Annual General Meeting held on January 15 at the Caledonian Club in London.

In an interview with Miller Magazine, Arnold outlined his priorities for the year, emphasising continuity in Gafta’s long-term initiatives while sharpening focus on two interconnected pillars he sees as critical to the future of global grain and feed trade: sustainability and digitalisation. “Sustainability is essential to protect the long-term viability of agricultural supply chains, covering environmental responsibility, traceability, and alignment with evolving regulations and societal demands,” Arnold said. “Digitalisation drives transparency, efficiency, and trust by strengthening documentation reliability, reducing friction in cross-border movements, and enhancing counterparty certainty.”

Gafta is the international association representing the trade in agricultural commodities, established in 1878. Its membership comprises over 2,000 agricultural commodity companies in more than 100 countries worldwide. It is estimated 80% of the world’s trade in grain is shipped on Gafta contract terms. Gafta’s role is to promote free, open, predictable trade of agricultural commodities and support policies that are science and evidenced based to ensure free and open trade of agricultural commodities transported from areas of surplus to deficit ensuring global food security.

Arnold pointed to the growing adoption of electronic phytosanitary certificates as evidence that regulators and industry can converge on practical solutions yet he said one of the most persistent obstacles remains the trade’s dependence on paper-based bills of lading (B/L). Wider legal recognition and harmonised acceptance of electronic bills of lading, he added, are among the key targets if the industry is to reduce delays and documentation-driven disputes.

Beyond the technology, Arnold also flagged a recurring pitfall in the market: treating standard contracts as a starting point rather than binding terms an approach that can quickly backfire when amendments are not properly documented and procedural timelines are missed.

For the next generation of traders entering a volatile grain market, Arnold drawing on more than 15 years of experience in containerised exports stressed resilience, curiosity, integrity, attention to detail, and the ability to stay composed under pressure.

In this interview, Miller Magazine asked Arnold to expand on the practical steps Gafta is taking on sustainability, digital documentation, and contract discipline.

Congratulations on taking up the presidency of GAFTA. As you begin your term, what are your top priorities?

Thank you. It is a privilege to serve in this role and to build upon the durable foundation established by those before me. My foremost priority is continuity, ensuring that the important long-term initiatives already underway continue to progress in a meaningful and practical way.

GAFTA’s objectives are deliberately ambitious. They are not designed to be completed within a single presidential term, but rather to steadily improve engagement, consistency, and efficiency across global agricultural trade.

Two themes will remain central: sustainability and digitalization.

Sustainability is critical to safeguarding the long-term viability of agricultural supply chains. It encompasses environmental responsibility, traceability, and ensuring that trade frameworks remain aligned with evolving regulatory and societal expectations.

Digitalization, meanwhile, enhances transparency, operational efficiency, and trust. It strengthens the reliability of documentation, reduces friction in global movements, and improves certainty between counterparties. These two priorities are distinct in focus yet mutually reinforcing. Together, they help modernize trade while protecting its long-term stability.

GAFTA’S EXPANDING MISSION

For readers who know GAFTA mainly for contracts and arbitration, how would you summarize GAFTA’s core mission today, and how it has evolved in recent years?

GAFTA remains, at its core, an organization for trade and by trade. Every development is driven by what enables international agricultural commerce.

Contracts and arbitration remain the cornerstone of Gafta’s global reputation. However, the organization’s mission today extends well beyond dispute resolution. GAFTA is equally committed to policy, education, professional standards, and the continuous strengthening of trade infrastructure.

Education programs have expanded significantly, and professional designations including Supervisor and Analyst qualifications are raising technical standards across the industry. These credentials provide globally recognized benchmarks of competence and reliability.

Gafta’s role is to bring consistency and enforceability across authorities, while simultaneously developing the professionals who execute trade daily.

WHERE DEALS GO WRONG

GAFTA contracts underpin a major share of global trade. What are the most common misunderstandings you see when market participants use standard terms, and how can they avoid them?

One of the most frequent misunderstandings is the assumption that standard contracts are merely templates rather than binding legal agreements. A contract agreed upon is enforceable as written. If amendments or special conditions are not clearly documented and mutually agreed, the standard wording will prevail.

Disputes often arise not from bad intent, but from operational disconnects where commercial teams agree to terms that execution teams may not fully understand or implement. Avoiding misunderstandings comes down to discipline:

•  Read and understand the contract before signing.
•  Clearly document any agreed deviations.
•  Ensure operational teams are aligned with contractual obligations.
•  Respect procedural timelines, they matter significantly in dispute outcomes.

Education remains the strongest safeguard. A well-informed trader dramatically reduces exposure to avoidable disputes.

You’ve highlighted digitalization as a key focus. What specific areas will GAFTA push forward?

The recognition of electronic phytosanitary certificates represents a significant milestone and demonstrates what is achievable when regulators and trade participants align. Acceptance across most jurisdictions shows that progress is possible when security, authenticity, and efficiency are balanced properly.

However, other critical documents remain reliant on physical presentation particularly Bills of Lading.

While digital Bills of Lading have been successfully implemented in certain corridors and platforms, widespread adoption remains uneven. The industry continues to depend heavily on original paper documents being physically transferred across borders. 

Moving forward, key priorities include:

•  Broader recognition and legal clarity around electronic Bills of Lading.
•  Greater harmonization across authorities to reduce fragmentation.
•  Ensuring digital documentation platforms meet enforceability standards.
•  Maintaining security and authenticity while improving speed and certainty.

Digitalization is not simply about convenience or speed. It is about reducing disputes tied to documentary presentation, enhancing traceability, and strengthening confidence in the authenticity and timing of delivery.

Timeliness remains paramount in trade. The correct documents must be available in a secure and recognized format. By reducing reliance on couriered originals and fragmented systems, the industry can reduce documentary-based disputes and improve overall efficiency.

TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF GRAIN TRADERS

Which GAFTA training or professional development offerings do you see as most important for the next generation of traders?

Every segment of trade has its blind spots, often shaped by geography, commodity focus, or role. GAFTA’s education programs are particularly valuable because they provide cross-functional understanding.

For the next generation, foundational contract knowledge combined with practical application is essential. Traders must understand how quality, logistics, risk management, insurance, finance, and dispute resolution intersect not as isolated elements, but as interconnected parts of a single system.

Professional designations such as Supervisor and Analyst qualifications are especially valuable because they reinforce technical discipline and consistency. They signal both competence and commitment to industry standards.

Perhaps most importantly, GAFTA training provides perspective. It exposes participants to the full global framework of trade, beyond their immediate desk or region. That broader understanding strengthens decision-making and reduces operational risk.

THE TRADER’S TOOLKIT

Coming from a trading background, what are the must-have skills for young professionals entering the grain trade to succeed?

A positive, adaptive mindset is essential. Agricultural trade is global, complex, and constantly evolving. It offers both rewarding successes and significant challenges, sometimes within the same week. Young professionals must develop:

•  Resilience under pressure
•  Curiosity and willingness to learn.
•  Integrity in both commercial and procedural conduct
•  Attention to detail, particularly in documentation and timing.

Professional composure is critical. The market can be volatile, and disputes can arise quickly. The ability to respond with clarity rather than emotion is invaluable.

I was fortunate to learn from both intentional and unintentional mentors throughout my career at The DeLong Co., Inc. The trade itself can be a classroom if you approach it with humility and attentiveness. Seek guidance, ask thoughtful questions, and recognize that learning never truly stops in this industry.