Fair Trade and Coffee
It guarantees these poor farmers who organize in cooperatives in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean a living wage for their work. They get a minimum price per pound regardless of the fluctuations in the price of coffee on the world market. This is important because even when retail prices increase coffee prices can be so low the farmer produces his crop at a loss. They are also provided with credit at reasonable interest rates and a long term relationship with the buyer of their coffee crop. Many large companies have joined the fight to provide growers and their families a decent standard of living. Fair trade coffee is also a way we can support the environment because small farmer often grow shade grown organic coffee in small plots instead of the large crops produced by large producers who clear cut land, and use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Not only Starbucks but Diedrich the manufacturer of K-Cups for Keurig one cup coffee makers, Tullys, Peets and Green Mountain to name a few are now buying fair trade coffee. One of my favorites is a K-Cup Newman’s Organics Extra Bold Fair Trade Certified Organic. It really makes excellent coffee in my one cup Keurig Elite One Cup Coffee Maker. |
