When you go shopping at the grocery store, you might notice the black and white Fair Trade label on

When you go shopping at the grocery store, you might notice the black and white Fair Trade label on some coffees, but Fair Trade is a lot more than just a label on a bag, it's a social movement and market based approach to help farmers and coffee producers in third world countries. Fair Trade creates a mutually beneficial partnership between us, the people who drink the coffee and the people who make it.

It works by cutting out the middlemen and paying the small farmers and independent producers a fair price for their coffee beans. It promotes sustainability and helps the poorer producers and workers become more self-sufficient economically. Around the world, more than two million coffee farmers rely on it to support their families.

In addition to Fair Trade coffee, other agricultural products are also certified by the Fair Trade Federation, including: bananas, tea, sugar, chocolate, honey, wine, flowers and cocoa. In 2008, Fair Trade certified sales amounted to slightly more than US $1 billion worldwide, a 22% increase from year-to-year. This still remains a fraction of the estimated US $70-80 billion global coffee industry. However, the impact in the lives of farmers is huge, with Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International estimating that over 7.5 million coffee producers and their families are benefiting from fair trade programs, technical assistance and community development projects.

Was this helpful? 0 0 Comments

You're reading When you go shopping at the grocery store, you might notice the black and white Fair Trade label on .