Fair Trade is an innovative, market-based approach to sustainable development. Fair Trade helps family farmers in developing countries gain direct access to international markets, as well as develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace. By learning how to market their own harvests, Fair Trade farmers are able to bootstrap their own businesses and receive a fair price for their products. This leads to higher family living standards, thriving communities and more sustainable farming practices. Fair Trade empowers farming families to take care of themselves - without developing dependency on foreign aid.

The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees:

A Fair Price
The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that farmers and workers receive a fair price for their product. The Fair Trade price means that farmers can feed their families and that their children can go to school instead of working in the fields.

Quality products
By receiving a fair price, Fair Trade producers can avoid cost-cutting practices that sacrifice quality. The Fair Trade producers' traditional artisanal farming methods result in exceptional products.

Care for the environment
Most Fair Trade Certified coffee, tea and chocolate in the US is certified organic and shade grown. This means that the products you buy maintain biodiversity, provide shelter for migratory birds and help reduce global warming.

Community impact
Empowered by the economic stability provided by Fair Trade, members of the COSURCA coffee cooperative in Colombia successfully prevented the cultivation of more than 1,600 acres of coca and poppy, used for the production of illicit drugs. In Papua New Guinea, the AGOGA cooperative, is investing in a medical team to meet the healthcare needs of its isolated rural community. In the highlands of Guatemala, indigenous Tzutuhil Mayans in the La Voz cooperative are sending local kids to college for the first time. Near Lake Titicaca, in Peru, the CECOVASA cooperative is assisting members from Quechua and Aymara indigenous groups in raising coffee quality and transitioning to Certified Organic production.

Fair Trade Coffee Certification Overview
Fair Trade Certification is the leading standard for social and environmental auditing of the global supply chain. The Fairtrade Certified label is consumers' guarantee that companies have complied with strict economic, social, and environmental criteria, thereby creating a more equitable system for producers.

The principal criteria of Fair Trade Certification are:

When consumers see a product with the Fair Trade Certified label, they are guaranteed that farmers received a fair price and all of the other benefits of the Fair Trade system. TransFair USA's industry partners prove every day that Fair Trade is not just good for farmers - it's good for business. For example, imports of Fair Trade Certified coffee have grown an average of 72% per year since 1999. Fair Trade products are available in over 20,000 retail outlets, up from 12,000 in 2002.

About Fair Trade Coffee

Q. What is Fair Trade?
A. Fair Trade means that trading partnerships are based on reciprocal benefits and mutual respect. Therefore, farmers, workers, and artisans:
1. Receive a fair price under direct long-term contracts
2. Are small-scale producers in democratic co-ops or workers on larger farms who receive a living wage and can bargain collectively
3. Don't use abusive child labor or forced labor
4. Are guaranteed national health safety and minimum wage
5. Use ecologically sustainable methods and conserve natural resources

Q. How do I know if a product is Fair Trade?
A. Fair Trade products bear the "Fair Trade Certified" label and the "Fair Trade Federation" logo, which is the only guarantee that every step of a product's production has followed international fair trade criteria. For the specific guidelines, visit the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International or the Fair Trade Federation sites for further information.

Q. Why is Fair Trade important?
A. Fair Trade brings the benefits of trade into the hands of communities that need it most. It sets new social and environmental standards for international companies and demonstrates that trade can indeed be a vehicle for sustainable development. Revenue from Fair Trade cooperatives is used on a variety of community projects, including training of producers in organic and sustainable farming techniques (i.e. composting), building houses, schools and clinics and guaranteeing health care for the whole community, among others. Unfortunately, the benefits of Fair Trade are not reaching all Fair Trade farmers because of insufficient demand for their crops. Producers sell an average of 20% of their crop at Fair Trade terms; the rest goes through the world market at much lower prices. The same story goes for artisans. That is why we need to build a market for Fair Trade in the U.S.!

Q. If one company's product bears the "Fair Trade Certified" label, does it mean that all of its products are Fair Trade Certified?
A. No. Only products that actually bear the label were purchased through Fair Trade criteria. The label on one product does not guarantee that a company practices Fair Trade in all its purchasing.

Q. What kinds of goods are available through Fair Trade?
A. In North America, Fair Trade products have been primarily craft products - decorative home accessories, jewelry, textiles, ceramics, etc. Coffee, tea and chocolate are also available. In the European market, commodities such as bananas, tea and honey, have been the primary focus.

Q. Do Fair Trade goods cost more than comparable non-Fair Trade goods?
A. Generally, Fairly Traded crafts don't cost more than other goods because the large percentage taken by middle people is taken out. The cost remains the same as traditionally traded goods but the distribution of the cost of the product is different. In some cases, like coffee, the producers receive a significantly higher price per pound, so the price is higher than grocery store coffee, but comparable to gourmet coffees.

Q. Is the quality of agricultural goods comparable to commercial products?
A. In some cases the quality is higher because Fair Traders factor in the environmental cost of production. In the case of coffee, for example, Fairly traded coffee is usually organic and shade grown, resulting in a higher quality

Q. If a product doesn't have the Fair Trade Certified label or Fair Trade Federation logo but the package talks about Fair Trade, is it considered Fair Trade?
A. Unless you see the Fair Trade Certified label or Fair Trade Federation logo on a product, you can't guarantee any claims about fair trade status. Unfortunately, some companies use fair trade language to appear more ethical and increase the appeal of their products. If you encounter such language, contact the company to ask about their purchasing guidelines.

Q. Is Fairtrade coffee also organic or shade-grown?
A. Not necessarily. Fair Trade offers an extra premium for organic production. Most Fair Trade coffee and cocoa are shade-grown and organic because these are the traditional methods used by small farmers.

Q. What about agricultural products from the USA?
A. You can support fairness for US family farmers by buying local organic produce sourced directly from family farmers. To ensure fair wages for farm workers, look for union labels. Farmers' markets, natural foods stores, grocery coops, and Community Supported Agriculture are the best places to find these. Ask local stores to carry these products, and lobby managers of campus and workplace eating facilities to use them along with Fair Trade Certified and Fair Trade Federation member's products.

Q. How can I support Fair Trade?
A. You can purchase Fair Trade products whenever possible, and you can demand Fair Trade from corporations that sell Fair Trade applicable products. You can also ask local businesses such as stores, cafes, bakeries, and restaurants to sell and use Fair Trade Certified and Fair Trade Federation members' products. If you're in a school, university, faith-based or community group, switch your purchases and fundraising programs to Fair Trade.
You can order fair trade organic coffee online or stop by a local CrimsonCup Coffee Shop nearest to you.