The TRADE Act offer a New Model for Trade

Many offshore, deregulation and other proponents of business-as-usual trade rule claim that those who contest NAFTA-style trade pacts somehow oppose trade, as if there’s only one way of doing things. This tired old myth is easy to disprove.

ORFTC supports a landmark piece of fair trade legislation call the TRADE Act, which has over 150 cosponsors in the final Congress; include the vast best part of House Democrats. The bill offer a way to help sure that future trade policy in fact profit operational people and strengthen the economy, as well as defensive consumers, the situation, public health and small farmers, both at home and abroad.

The TRADE Act is support nationally by a wide range of progressive organization including the AFL-CIO, Change to Win, Sierra Club, National Farmers Union, Public Citizen, Machinists, AFSCME, and Teamsters, message Workers of America, UNITE HERE, and Friends of the Earth, countrywide Family Farm Coalition, Public Citizen, Citizens Trade Campaign and many others. Please voice your maintain for this main legislation as it move forward in the new Congress

Fair trade Bird In Hand Winery

As the annual Wine Fair edges ever nearer like a glass to anticipate lips, more of our esteem wine makers are joining the throng.

The common Wine Company is delighted to announce that the well-known face of Andrew Nugent will be on the Bird in Hand position on 25th September at the Wine Fair.every person is welcome to come and chat to him and discern more about his quiet but steely strength of mind to grow Bird in Hand keen on one of the world’s great wineries.

As Andrew says, we live and working at the winery. We know the greatest thing we can do for our society is grow and produce the best wine and olives we can. Our success will be our community’s success. A high tide lifts all the boats in the bay. At Bird in Hand we’ve assemble the best team of people, we have painstakingly selected the great terroir and we’re in good on our way.

Andrew will be on hand to explicate his vision in more depth, and with any luck, if we are very good, we might be able to induce him to give us a master class in the side room. Join us, as this year truly is set to be the best yet.

Fair Trade with catering products

The companies, listed by area in the spreadsheet below, are register with the Fairtrade organization to supply Fairtrade certified products to the food service. This includes distributors, wholesalers and transaction machine operators as long as a range of food from espresso beans to fruit juice. They also show which distributors can present you vending machines and apparatus services.

More and more companies are offering Fairtrade products so please ask your offered supplier if they have Fairtrade certified products obtainable. If not, we hope this index will help you source a supplier of the products you need. To help with your search we have categorize the directory by area and then listed companies alphabetically.

Look out for companies with ND appear under their company name as they have National Distribution. As well we have provided a directory listing those companies with National Distribution.

London and Home Counties

East and South East England

Midlands

North England

South West England & Wales

Channel Islands

Scotland

Northern Ireland

World Fair Trade Day Celebration.

Apikri celebrated World Fair Trade Day last May 29, 2011 collectively with members of Yogyakarta Fair Trade Movement and members of conversation Fair Trade Indonesia. This event took place at Taman Pinter Yogyakarta and was arranged by Forum Fair Trade Indonesia. Mr. Amir Panzuri, Apikri Director, acted as chairman of the group for World Fair Trade Day and assist by other workers from other Fair Trade organization in Yogyakarta: Novi from Java Ixora, Imam from Sahani, Ridwan from KKB DIY, and Wulan from Dria Kananga.

It was attend by Forum Fair Trade Indonesia and the members like Mitra Bali, Lombok Poetry, Arum Dalu, JPKP Buton, the local government and NGO’s of Yogyakarta. The first was a fun motorcycle ride joined by 150 people from the bike group of people of Yogyakarta. The participant took a ride about Yogyakarta city with the on track and ended at Taman Pinter Prizes were specified for the lucky participants of the fun bike ride.

2nd, a Fair Trade Bazaar of crafts, food and toys was also held at Taman Pintar. The third activity was press meeting attended by media journalist and television stations. Mr Aging & Mr. Amir spoke about fair trade. The episode was enlivened with customary music and the show of children from IRRCD Kindergarten of Yogyakarta.

The end, the participants of World Fair Trade Day came together to close the event, with Mr. Amir giving thanks to all participants as well as Forum Fair Trade Indonesia, members, Yogyakarta Fair Trade group, and other NGO’s who support the event.

Bean Sprouts Fair Trade product innovation

The Co-operative is continuing to lead the way in Fairtrade product originality with 1st-to-market bean sprouts that have be grown from Fairtrade mung beans. Bean sprouts - eat widely in Chinese cooking such as stir-fries - are grown from mung beans, which are widely cultivate in China.

For the first time, a group of growers in Inner Mongolia have been particular Fairtrade accreditation, which means they will accept a fair price for their mung beans, as well as a Fairtrade premium. The Jurihe/Zhaluteqi farmer organization is placed near Tong Liao City in Inner Mongolia. Inner Mongolia is the third biggest part of China and one of China's poorest rural areas. Families in the Jurihe village are chiefly in need. Many children do not get a basic education, as schools are old and ill ready and the children have to walk more than an hour to achieve the school. In winter, temperature is below minus 20 degrees Celsius.

The Fairtrade premium will allow the village to develop education conveniences and the situation of local schools, as well as providing materials and gear. It will also support local families by funding things for their houses such as heaters and warm clothes for winter. After the mung beans are harvest by the growers, they are hand-sorted and transported by sea to the UK, where they are grown into bean sprouts and packed for The Co-operative.

The bean sprouts, which have a limited sill life, are grown in the UK to ensure best freshness, whilst avoid the use of air freight.

First Supermarket Fairtrade Wine

The Co-operative broke new ground by launching the UK’s first fairly-traded in 2001 supermarket wine, and we haven’t look back since. On the time there was no worldwide decided criterion for wine to carry the FAIRTRADE Mark so we work with Tradecraft the UK’s leading fair trade association, to set up a trade relationship with the Los Robles helpful in Chile.

Since the organization of the Fairtrade mark for wine has sold well over 35million bottles and in 2011 our sales represent 68% of sales of Fairtrade wine in the UK. Over the past 6 years over £1.8 million has been returned to the workers on our Fairtrade wine project, mainly from the Fairtrade premium, but about 40% from extra contributions made by ourselves at The Co-operative.

2004 The Co-operative began to work with the Du Toitskloof helpful in South Africa, helping them to gain Fairtrade official approval which they achieve in 2005. Shortly after, the helpful was then able to launch its own range of Fairtrade wine from Du Toitskloof all through its UK stores.

Today our range of wines moving the FAIRTRADE Mark comes from Chile, Argentina and South Africa. Each of our Fairtrade wines tells a story; about stressed community revived and changed, about schools built, clean water supplied, and hope restore.

So when you’re sipping our soft Argentine red, enjoying a stimulating glass of our Chilean white, or celebrating with our Fairtrade luminous Brut, you can be sure that someone on the other side of the world is benefit from a better deal that will develop their lives.

The 2011 vintage was launched with a new label design, introduce a best tier to the range, and crystallizes our contribution with an extra two new projects in South Africa.

The Co-operative Fairtrade Pineapples.

We introduce the world’s first ever Fairtrade pineapples in 2002. This move remains really important to the livelihood of a co-operative of 147 small-scale pineapple growers and their family in the northern-most part of Costa Rica.

They farm in one of the poorest region in the country, which has high levels of joblessness. As more and more people choose to buy a Fairtrade pineapple, the growers are able to provide in their co-op and magnetize more growers, invest in their farms, and invest in their community. Part of the Fairtrade premium been used to help set up a social enterprise project run a local women’s group.

It makes shampoos, conditioners and washes products for the local market. The growers choose to spend another part of the Fairtrade premium on equip local schools with computers and desks. For the growers, being able to assist give their children the chance to a good education is one of the main benefits to receiving the Fairtrade premium.

Fairtrade with mangoes

Mangoes

We introduce the world's 1st time ever Fairtrade mango in 2001. Mangoes are a seasonal fruit so we buy them from different Fairtrade mango growers all over the world depending on the time of year.

Fairtrade mangoes Between March and June each year, you will see that your Co-operative Fairtrade mangoes generally come from Burkina Faso, a small surrounded by land country in West Africa, which is among the poorest in the world. Here, thanks to Fairtrade, 2 co-ops of small farmers, FEDAF with 250 growers, and UPPFL with 70 growers, have a successful mango business, which is in a straight line benefiting their families and their community.

Previously at UPPFL, the Fairtrade Premium has funded the building of a building to house the local library, chemists and serve as a central information point for all the growers. Last year the Fairtrade premium was used by the mango growers in Burkina Faso to..

1. Provide hospital and classroom equipment,

2. Provide training for mango producers

3. Provide training for women on sanitation and disease

4. Improve sanitation facilities in a number of villages.

UPPFL, the Fairtrade Premium has funded the building of a building to house the local library, chemists and serve as a central information point for all growers.

Fair Trade top. Ben and Jerry's Introduces New Ice Cream Flavors

Fair Trade can be delicious. Ben and Jerry's, which introduce Fair Trade coffee ice cream flavors to their scoop shops and grocery stores in 2005, is ongoing the charge with Fair Trade vanilla and chocolate ice cream. New flavors are available in grocery stores this month.

Since Ben and I started the business we've used ethical ideals to guide our business decisions, such as sourcing ingredient, said Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield when the company announces the move last October. Expanding from our Fair Trade Certified Coffee flavors to Fair Trade Vanilla and Chocolate is one more step forward in our values-led sourcing decision.

Ben & Jerry's purchase its Fair Trade Certified coffee from a helpful in Mexico; vanilla from Fair Trade Certified producer in India, with producer in Indonesia and Uganda under concern; and Fair Trade Certified cocoa from producers in the Dominican Republic.

Ben & Jerry's Fair Trade Certified line-up now include: Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee, Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, and Coffee Coffee Buzz Buzz.

Fair trade Apple and Blueberries

APPLE

Organic Apples are grown in Argentina’s Rio Negro Valley, where wonderful growing conditions unite with clean, nutrient rich Patagonia water to create tasty fruit. Enjoy fresh or dried as a snack, or use in your most wanted apple pie, crisp, cake and applesauce recipes. Apples are a big source of Vitamin C and antioxidants and studies imply that eating apples may condense the risk of some forms of cancer.

Social Facts

Social Premiums Generated: Beginning January 2008

Producing Region: Rio Negro Province, Argentina

Producers: 1

Workers: 15permanent / 45 temporary

Certification: Fair Trade

BLUEBERRIES

These fresh, juicy blueberries are grown in the rich soil of Argentina’s Tucuman district. Wonderful as a top on your morning cereal, pancakes and desert or to enjoy as a healthy morning day snack. Blueberries are among the healthiest foods on the planet and contain antioxidants and other photochemical, which may help decrease the risk of cancer and other diseases. as well, blueberries are high in manganese as well as vitamin K.

Social Facts

Social Premiums Generated: Beginning January 2008

Producing Region: Tucuman, Argentina

Producers: 1

Workers: 109 permanent / 255 temporary

Certification: Fair Trade Certified.

The Fairtrade price

The Fair-trade minimum price is the minimum price that a buyer of Fairtrade products has to pay to a maker Organization for their product. It is not a fixed price, but should be seen as the lowest likely starting point for price talks between producer and purchaser. It is set at a stage which ensures that Producer Organizations collect a price which covers the cost of sustainable making for their product.

This means it also acts as a security net for farmers at times when world market fall below a sustainable level. However, when the market price is top than the Fairtrade Price, the shopper must pay the market price. Producers and trader can also negotiate a higher price, for example on the basis of excellence, and for some products, FLO also sets different prices for organic crops, or for exacting grades of produce.

The standards also allow producers to ask for partial pre-payment of the contract. This is important for small-scale farmers’ organizations as it ensures they have the cash flow to pay farmers at the time they set free their crop. Buyers are also necessary to enter into long-term trading contact so that producers can predict their profits and plan for the future.

Fair-trade Fortnight 2012

An exciting programmed of University actions for the annual Fair-trade Fortnight has been arranged to celebrate fair-trade and best part how it benefits some of the most disadvantaged people in the world.

The University and Fair trade

We are very pompous that, in 2004, our Students’ Association (EUSA) drove the initiative for the University to become the first accredited Fair-trade University in Scotland, and the second in the UK.

As well as ensure that only Fair Trade tea and coffee is serve in the University and last the Malawi Rice plan, students and staff support many other projects. We have made huge strides through our Global Academies in addressing major challenges such as fitness, food security, education, the environment, society and sustainable development.

We have a new Fair Trade academic network as well as a Business School-led corporate responsibility and governance network so that academic can support and cheer research in this field. Students visit schools to set up pupils to many of the issues nearby Fair-trade, and staff give to policymaking forums in Scotland and beyond.

Fair Trade or Organic

Consumers should be aware that fair trade products aren’t of necessity organic, though some may have earned organic certification. Fair trade fruits, vegetables, coffees and teas, may contain pesticides or be full-grown with the use of fake fertilizers.

Fair trade goods as well aren’t the cheapest things on the projection fair trade coffee, for example, usually isn’t as economical as commercially grown coffee, but its price is similar to that of gourmet coffees. Marketplace research has confirmed that many customers are willing to pay more for fair trade as well as organic and other high-quality sustainable products.

Proponents of fair trade goods say that any extra price is a reflection of the many profit of the products: green protection, better and safer working conditions, and access to physical condition care and education for workers and their family. Some critics, however, have charged that fair trade workers are not paid much more than other workers and that comply with strict rules for fair trade certification is hard for small farmers and artisans.

Fair Trade Organic Green Tea

Fair Trade Organic Green Str, Tag & Env Tea is high in antioxidants, this delicious Fairtrade green tea is grown using only natural method of cultivation. It is greatly regard for its subtle flavor and light golden color. The fine personality ensures a pure and distinctive cup of tea. Ingredients: 100% in nature grown Fairtrade green tea.

Fair trade and Fruits

Today there is a very wide range of fair trade fruit available and this is possibly one of the most popular product ranges. The range of fair trade fruit include bananas, apples, avocados, lychees, citrus fruit, coconuts, grapes, mangoes, plums and pineapples, and the fair trade prices mean that the producer of these products have see their lives change. In adding there is a swell range of fair trade dried fruit available.

Bananas are the largest selling fruit in the UK and most major supermarket stock a selection of fair trade bananas. In fact our Salisbury announce in December 2006 that all their bananas would be fair trade, and as they sell about 10 million bananas a week, this will extra than double the amount of this fair trade fruit sell in the UK. The Fairtrade Foundation website has some recipe using fair trade fruits.

Some of the farms supply fair trade fruit such as citrus fruit, apples, grapes and pears are part of the South African Tandi plan whereby workers become co-owners of the fruit farms. The fair trade citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, and Satsuma.

Fairtrade juices are also available with a number of brands sold in the main supermarkets.

Fair Trade Flowers

Giving Fair Trade certified blooms are the greatest way to show one cares about the person getting the flowers as well as about the workers on flower farms. Fair Trade certification ensure that workers on large-scale flower farm have access to union, take delivery of better wages, and work below safe labor conditions with defensive equipment and proper training.

Growers are able to keep the best workers because of these profits, leading to better output and better flower quality. In addition, Fair Trade certification provides workers vital financial support in the form of the Fair Trade premium: 10 percent of the commercial price of every stem sold is allocated to a development fund that gives workers the opportunity to invest in the future of their communities.

Fair Trade certified flowers are becoming increasingly popular and are available generally in popular retail outlet such as Whole Foods Market. Since the Fair Trade Certified flowery program launch in 2007, U.S. consumers have purchase over 15 million Fair Trade stems, resulting in an moving $800,000 in community development funding for workers to invest in their communities.

Fairtrade clothes industry.

Fairtrade certified clothing is a market based come up to that aims to help producer in developing countries obtain better trading condition. The cotton in products with Fairtrade certification has been full-grown by farmers who collect a fair deal for their work. In totaling to their salary they also receive a best which goes towards project within their local society such as building a school or establish access to water. These factors are at the very heart of the Fairtrade clothes industry.

Everyone in the supply chain, from the certified producer organizations through to the companies licensed for the consumer-ready product, must be register by one of the FLO Labeling Initiatives or FLO-CERT. All register companies are subject to self-sufficient audits to ensure agreement with Fairtrade standards. At present, the only bits and pieces that the Fairtrade Foundation certifies is cotton.

A number of further strategy have been optional to address the problem of child labor;-

Invest in a holistic analysis of the factors causal to child labor

Apply pressure on national governments to make education compulsory.

Apply pressure on national governments to introduce and enforce relevant legislation.

Contribute to building effective partnership the whole time the supply chain

Set up systems to check the age of workers on staffing.

Provide vocational training for young workers age 16-20

Provide adult workers with secure employment, and fair pay and conditions

Support health and sustenance programmers and adult teaching in communities.

Apply national labor law and regulations.

It is clear that address the issue of child labor require a long term dedication from governments, trade unions multinational companies, schools and community groups. We can help in a small way by remembering that bargains are achieve often at a high cost to humanity.

Fair Trade Principles

Fair Trade is a trading system based on fairness, stateliness and respect in all levels of operations. It’s also a sustainable business advance, whereby People, the Planet and income are evenly important in the workplace.

Fair Trade is guided by 10 internationally-recognized Principles:

Creating opportunity for disadvantaged producers

Being paid a fair price and fair gross

behind safe, healthy and participatory workplaces

Building the capability of producers and their employees

Ensuring green sustainability

Building straight, long-term relationships with producers

Ensuring public answer ability and transparency

Eliminating child work

promote gender equity

promote fair trade

In order for an organization to state they are Fair Trade, they must be able to prove that they comply by the above standards. This is done throughout Fair Trade labeling and certification and at present there are audits that can be accepted out on the Philippine level regionally and globally (World Fair Trade Organization).

Fair Trade USA Redesigns Label

Fair Trade USA, the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S., has unveiled a recently redesigned certificate label and made main revisions to its multiple ingredients Product Policy.

Under the revised ingredient Policy, which applies to all food and other care products, only products that contain 100% Fair Trade Certified ingredient may bear the full Fair Trade Certified label. Products contain at least 20% Fair Trade Certified ingredient will now bear a latest Fair Trade Certified Ingredients label.

To use the ingredient label:

1.100% of the ingredient commonly connected with a product must be Fair Trade Certified. For model, a chocolate bar must contain 100% Fair Trade Certified cocoa.

2. For any person Fair Trade Certified ingredient use in the product, 100% of that ingredient has to be certified. For example, if a product contains Fair Trade Certified vanilla extorts, all of the vanilla extract in the product have to be Fair Trade Certified.

3. The product must restrain at least 20% Fair Trade Certified content in totality, and all ingredients that can be Fair Trade Certified must be Fair Trade Certified, if the ingredient is commercially offered.

4. In the case of single-ingredient products, like tea and coffee, Fair Trade USA will maintain to require that 100% of the product be Fair Trade Certified.

The plan of the policy is open for public comment for the next 50 days. To view the total outline of the policy, visit Fair trade USA.

Fair Trade bananas

Where they come from

Bananas come from plants of the genus Musa, which is originary to south west Asia. It was first cultivate there some 7.000 years ago. The plant grows in tropical climates, up to 7. 5 metres high and can render up to 40 kms of fruit per year without needing fertilization.

Its leaves are really big, up to 3 metres, and can be used for decoration purpose. In spite of these dimensions, banana is not a real tree, but an herbaceous plant: the largest of them all. The fruits we eat are seedless and pertain to the 'Cavendish' cultivar.

They are picked and ship when still green, sent to the destination country in chilled containers (at 14ºC) and ripened afterwards using ethylene gas, their natural ripen agent. Some companies are developing different transport methods, without refrigeration. Shipping of ripe bananas ends in large damages and loses.

It is this need for business infrastructure what lies behind the incorporation of odd players to Fair Trade.

Fair Trade vs Fair workers

Fair Trade for All” unfortunately is becoming a disruptive issue, pitting small producers against farm workers. Important farm employee leaders have endorsed the plan, despite the overpowering elimination of Fair Trade for All from fair trade producer networks, the World Fair Trade association (WFTA) and Unite Students for Fair Trade. No one in the fair trade movement deny that farm workers at home and overseas need support and market team strength.

There are infinite examples of deplorable working conditions for farming workers in every sector. The question is whether “fair trade” is the suitable model for addressing hired labor in farming contexts. FLO certified fair trade plantations in a number of particular product categories, like tea and bananas, despite resistance from small producer groups and Alternatives Trade Organizations.

Fair trade has a mixed record on plantation and hired labor operation, including the tea and banana sector. Complicate matters further, coffee plantation workers are mainly seasonal workers, with many workers not persistent to the same plantation where they’ve worked the season prior. Assure that the social best in fact benefits these workers and that the workplace is operating democratically in the absence of a workers society or union is challenging at best. Perhaps “Fair Labor” certification is a more correct approach to supporting farm workers, while keep fair trade standards, impacts and prospect intact.

Fair Labor certification assures a safe place of work, equitable wages and devotion to labor laws. A far labor certification is far more appropriate for hired labor scenarios, as it and do not dilute fair trade as a standard, nor a concept. In fact, there are several open fair labor 3rd party certifiers and standards, include Scientific Certification Services Fair Labor program and IMO’s “For Life” program. Or strength certifiers look to an effective model adopted by anti-sweatshop advocate that include a code of conduct and monitor by an organization like the Workers Rights Consortium.

Fair trade Foundation& Committee members

Fair trade Foundation Board members

Chair: David Clayton Smith

Vice Chair: Melissa Duncan (Head of Communications, Tradecrafts)

Treasurer: Patricia Alexander (Managing Director of Shared Interest)

Alex Yeboah Afari (Fair trade Africa/VREL, Ghana)

Paul Brannen (Christian Aid)

Arun Ambatipudi (Chetna Organic Farmers Association, India)

Diana Holland (Unite the Union)

Simon Maxwell (Senior Research Associate, former Director of ODI)

Merling Preza (CLAC, PRODECOOP, Nicaragua)

Deborah Doane (Director, World Development Movement)

Joy Thomson (National Federation of Women’s Institutes Board)

Certification Committee Members

This committee reviews all audit reports for Fair trade Foundation licensees, and advises on certification policies and performers.

Chair: Nabs Suma(CALIFFOE)

Ann Davison (Consumer Representative)

Rob Hardy (Dr Bronner's)

Joy Thomson (National Federation of Women’s Institutes Board

Hannah Harris (Africa)