Why FairTrade is Important
This is actually a new concept for me and I might stumble about on it, but, even with my limited knowledge I know it's important and I want you to get on board too.
See, farmers in third world countries are at the whim of what companies are willing to offer them. Many times farmers with the highest grade coffees aren't given their fair price because of improper grading methods because there isn't a universal standard for what determines a coffee's grade. A perfect example of this is in Paupa New Guinea where coffees grown by tribal people are automatically given a "Y" classification and given less for their beans regardless of the cupping quality. This means that a coffee bought for $.25/lb could be resold at the standard rate for green beans despite the original low grade it was given. This is where fair trade comes in, by guaranteeing the farmer a minimum of $1.26/lb.
Small farms form cooperatives and submit themselves to fair trade regulation and requirements. In return they are given a fair price for their labors according the regional costs for living and farming expenses. This isn't a charity, but simply a fair price for the product purchased. Because the farmers are exporting their product directly through the fair trade organization the cost to the consumer is cut because there isn't a middle man jacking up the price. Sure, it might be putting one middleman out of a job, but the goal is to protect the millions of third world farmers and labors working and working in substandard conditions. The fair trade organization that works with the farmers also use the money from the subsequent sale of green beans to build schools, medical facilities, clean water supplies, create micro-loans for women trying to start businesses, prohibit child labor, provide safe work environments for farmers, and teach farmers about sustainable agricultural practices. Not to mention, when coffee becomes profitable to farmers, fewer farmers will sow their fields with the previously more profitable coca, poppy and khat crops.
This isn't a matter of whether Wal-Mart employees get breaks, this is life or death, clean water, drug-free, family orientated, educating... it's hope, for millions of impoverished people, and we can help by purchasing fair trade coffee. It makes so much sense.
See, farmers in third world countries are at the whim of what companies are willing to offer them. Many times farmers with the highest grade coffees aren't given their fair price because of improper grading methods because there isn't a universal standard for what determines a coffee's grade. A perfect example of this is in Paupa New Guinea where coffees grown by tribal people are automatically given a "Y" classification and given less for their beans regardless of the cupping quality. This means that a coffee bought for $.25/lb could be resold at the standard rate for green beans despite the original low grade it was given. This is where fair trade comes in, by guaranteeing the farmer a minimum of $1.26/lb.
Small farms form cooperatives and submit themselves to fair trade regulation and requirements. In return they are given a fair price for their labors according the regional costs for living and farming expenses. This isn't a charity, but simply a fair price for the product purchased. Because the farmers are exporting their product directly through the fair trade organization the cost to the consumer is cut because there isn't a middle man jacking up the price. Sure, it might be putting one middleman out of a job, but the goal is to protect the millions of third world farmers and labors working and working in substandard conditions. The fair trade organization that works with the farmers also use the money from the subsequent sale of green beans to build schools, medical facilities, clean water supplies, create micro-loans for women trying to start businesses, prohibit child labor, provide safe work environments for farmers, and teach farmers about sustainable agricultural practices. Not to mention, when coffee becomes profitable to farmers, fewer farmers will sow their fields with the previously more profitable coca, poppy and khat crops.
This isn't a matter of whether Wal-Mart employees get breaks, this is life or death, clean water, drug-free, family orientated, educating... it's hope, for millions of impoverished people, and we can help by purchasing fair trade coffee. It makes so much sense.
Labels: Fair Trade, Farmers, social causes
posted by Tracy Little | 8:27 PM
1 Comments:
Sounds good to me! How do we tell if the coffee we are currently buying is "Fair Trade" approved (for lack of a better term)?
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