Today's society is very familiar with fair trade coffee,
yet it is unclear whether the true meaning behind the
economic, environmental and social impact of purchasing
and drinking it is understood. In order to comprehend the
full impact fair trade coffee has on our society, one must
learn what it means.
A small number of large corporations around the world
control the production, trade, and retailing of goods and
services. These large corporations firmly influence free
trade, which has become the primary detriment to trading
fairly. Through determination, these corporations have
successfully convinced the world's governments that
loosening trade regulations and breaking down barriers to
free trade will result in the rise of workers' wages and
benefits with the expanding foreign market.
The competition between large corporations to obtain
control over the global market has resulted in reducing
their cost by cutting jobs, wages, and benefits to workers.
Corporate profits leaving the country rather than being
reinvested locally hurts the workforce as well. Government
and corporations have written several agreements to
protect the intellectual and property rights of
corporations. However, agreements to protect workers'
rights and the environment have yet to be enforced.
Coffee is a highly traded commodity in the world, second
to oil. Over 25 million farmers and their families depend
on it for a steady income. The fact that North American
consumers pay $4 to $11 a pound for conventional coffee,
which is the same coffee that is bought from coffee
growers at $.80 per pound, clearly proves the coffee
market is unfair. The involvement of the Fair Trade
Organization has benefited these growers by helping them
earn $1.12 to $1.26 per pound.
The Fair Trade Organization has been able to lower the
cost by working directly with democratically run producer
associations, worker-owned cooperatives, producers and
growers. These efforts have resulted in the farmers and
producers joining forces to achieve reduced costs,
simplified credit access, fair pricing, fair working
conditions and the ability to reinvest in the community.
Purchasing fair trade coffee means that you are giving a
"voice" to the coffee producers and farmers and empowering
women and indigenous communities by returning the control
of the coffee market into the their hands.
In comparing the cost of fair trade coffee to the
traditional coffee, the elimination of the liaison between
the growers has made the costs comparable. Even though
the distribution costs of fair trade coffee is often higher
in price than coffee purchased in the grocery store, the
costs are equal to those of most gourmet coffees.
The controversy between corporations concerning equal pay
and fair working conditions does not affect the high
standards and quality of fair trade coffee. Coffee that
is grown for the fair trade market receives a higher
recognition in today's market place. This is due to the
coffee being developed organically (free from pesticides
and herbicides). Consumers benefit from the indefinable
reward of knowing their contribution helps the workers to
defeat the corporations.
During your next visit to the grocery store, look for the
Fair Trade Certified logo. This logo symbolizes that the
Fair Trade Federation (FTF), which upholds the fair trade
standards by requiring its members to meet strict criteria
in order to achieve fair trade status, has licensed the
product. Encourage your friends, family, and co-workers
to purchase fair trade coffee on their next trip to the
market. From the grower to the consumer, we all receive
the benefits that fair trade brings to the community.
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