The Fourth Wave - Part 3: Fair Trade Coffee

Let’s talk about the concept of Fair Trade and TransFair USA’s Fair Trade Certification. TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only independent, third party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. and one of 20 members of Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO). TransFair USA and the other 19 Fair Trade labeling initiatives attempt to provide third world producers with fair price for their product, which in turn supports community development, sustainable agriculture and improved labor conditions.

Now page 2 of the published 2005 FLO standards states, “Small farmers can join Fair Trade if they have formed organizations (in co-operatives, associations or other organizational forms.” This means if you buy Fair Trade coffee, you are buying from a co-op, NOT an ESTATE.

Let’s talk about Colombia for a minute. They have a limited estate involvement. The National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNCC) of Juan Valdez fame, has registered shippers which deal with large mills in various areas of the country. Most of the coffee from the Cafeteros (small farms) is brought to these large mills where it is blended. It is very tough in Colombia to isolate individual farms.

Now, remember we’re talking about the Fourth Wave here. Also in Colombia there is a group of ladies who lead an organization called Mujeres de Guayata. This organization is a growers association. This association is not a co-op. It is led by women, but not exclusively made up of women. There are men that belong to the association and work there as well. The association sells to a large private exporter. This exporter’s name is Espinosa. I commend this group’s efforts and goals because they are raising the standard of living for several small farms. However this group is NOT an estate, nor is it a co-op, it’s an association. They presently don’t participate in the Fair Trade program.