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Monthly Archives: March 2011

Kuapa Kokoo Partners With ILO To Reduce Child Labor in Cocoa

March 31, 2011
- Jeff

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has begun to partner with Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union in a two-year project to assist the government of Ghana in reducing child labour. The program was launched in January with Kuapa, a cooperative of over 50,000 famrers, that is part-owner of Fair Trade organization Divine Chocolate.

The pilot will run in 15 cocoa-growing communities affiliated with Kuapa Kokoo, the only Fairtrade certified cocoa cooperative in Ghana. The project focuses on preventing and removing children from hazardous work on cocoa farms. This includes livelihood support for vulnerable families and setting up a child labour monitoring system.

More at FLO press release.

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5 New Members Join Fair Trade Federation

March 28, 2011
- Jeff

In February and March, five new members joined the Fair Trade Federation:

•           Awava, Eudora, KS – Wholesaler of handbags, jewelry, and home decor from Northern Uganda.

•           Better Way Imports, Zeeland, MI – Wholesaler of  bags, tees, sari blankets, and more from India.

•           Haiti Projects, Beverly, MA – Retailer of linens, pillows, clothing, and other items from a Haitian women’s cooperative.

•           Nomi, New York, NY – Wholesaler of clothing, bags, and other accessories from Cambodia.

•           Seven Hopes United, San Diego, CA – Retailer of iitems from around the world for every room in your home.

FTF counts around 250 members in N. America.

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FTF Conference May 6-8 in Milwaukee

March 28, 2011
- Jeff

2011 Fair Trade Federation Conference is taking shape:

Building UP Fair Trade

Join Fair Trade Federation from May 6-8, 2011 in Milwaukee, WI to

Build UP your business knowledge,

Build UP momentum for Fair Trade, and

Build UP our community!

Register

Travel and Accommodations

View Conference Schedule

Visit the conference website for more information.

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$1000 Prize Announced in Hershey “Brand Jamming” Contest

March 25, 2011
- Jeff

Green America announced this special update about the Hershey “Brand Jamming” contest:

There will now be a Grand-Prize of $1000! We have also extended the deadline until April 10th.

The Contest :
Create a clever mock tagline, mock print ad, or mock commercial video for Hershey that tells the truth about their refusal to properly police their supply chain. E-mail your submissions to fairtrade@greenamerica.org by April 10. Five entries in each category will be selected as finalists, and we’ll run a public vote in mid-April.
Click here to read complete rules >>

Prizes:
All submissions will receive a 10-percent coupon for the Global Exchange online Fair Trade store. One winner from each category will receive a Global Exchange Fair Trade “chocolate lovers” gift basket. First runners-up in each category will receive a Green America T-shirt, and four free tickets to a 2011 Green Festival in a city of your choice. And one lucky grand-prize winner (across all categories) will receive $1000!

Details:
Visit our Web site for original Hershey ads for inspiration or for links to other brand-jamming contests to get your creative juices flowing. Winners of the contest will be announced by the end of April, and finalists’ brand-jam submissions displayed in the Fair Trade Pavilions at the Chicago and Seattle Green Festivals.

Submit an entry today! fairtrade@greenamerica.org »

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Webinar on “The State of Fair Trade” Coming April 5

March 24, 2011
- Jeff

Announcing the highly anticipated webinar (#108) on The State of Fair Trade, brought to you by the Fair Trade Resource Network.

Date: April 5
Time: 1:00-1:50pm EST
Investment: just $5!
Details: The State of Fair Trade

Presenters:  Fair Trade Resource Network’s Executive Director, Jeff Goldman ; Just Works Consulting’s Partner, and Co-Founder of Equal Exchange, Jonathan Rosenthal

To register and for more info: http://store.fairtraderesourcenetwork.org/collections/webinars.

Posted in Advocacy, Business Aspects, Events, Key Issues in Fair Trade Comments (1)

Fair Trade Firsts at Largest U.S. Natural Products Trade Show

March 22, 2011
- Jeff

Natural Products Expo West, held in Anaheim, CA, from May 11-13, 2011, experienced 2 firsts regarding Fair Trade:

1. the first seminar ever conducted on Fair Trade at this largest natural products trade show in the U.S.

2. the first public event in N. America where representatives from the two major certifiers of Fair Trade products presented side by side: Fair Trade USA spoke about Fair Trade Certified, while Institute for Marketecology spoke about Fair for Life Social & Fairtrade Certified.

The innovative seminar was co-organized by Fair World Project and Fair Trade Resource Network. Fair Trade certifiers discussed how to certify your company and products and source Fair Trade ingredients. Fair trade membership organizations talked about raising awareness and participation in your stores. Panelists included: The Institute for Marketology (IMO) – Dr. Wolfgang Kathe; Fair Trade USA – Cate Baril, Director of Business Development, Grocery & Ingredients; Agricultural Justice Project (AJP) – Michael Sligh, Founding Partner; Domestic Fair Trade Association (DFTA) Fair – Kerstin Lindgren, Executive Director; Fair Trade Federation (FTF) – Carmen Iezzi, Executive Director; Fair Trade Resource Network (FTRN) – Jeff Goldman, Executive Director.

Natural Products Expo West is a trade show where manufacturers of food, body care, and other products sell to retailers who will carry those products in stores. The recent expo was the largest in its 31-year history, with over 3533 exhibits and more than 58,000 industry attendees.

Posted in Business Aspects, Events, Featured, Key Issues in Fair Trade Comments (1)

FLO Raises Minimum Fairtrade Coffee Prices and Changes Standards

March 17, 2011
- Jeff

The dominant certifier of Fair Trade products in the world, Fairtrade International (FLO), announced on March 15 a higher global minimum price and premium, a higher organic differential, and revised trade standards, all for coffee. FLO-certified products represent around 90% of N. American retail sales of all Fair Trade goods.

Key changes include:

    1. An increase in the Fairtrade Premium to USD 20 cents/lb from the current USD 10 cents/lb, of which 5 cents will be earmarked for productivity and quality improvement efforts.
    2. An increase of the Fairtrade Minimum Price to USD 1.40/lb for washed Arabica coffee from the current USD 1.25; Arabica naturals will increase to USD 1.35/lb from USD 1.20.
    3. An organic differential of USD 30 cents/lb from the current USD 20 cents/lb. As prices for conventional coffee have risen, fewer farmers see value in seeking and maintaining organic certification even as demand is increasing.
    4. Revised trading standards that were developed to encourage fairer negotiations, clarify the role of price fixing, and reduce speculation. Complementary to the new Trade Standards, FLO is facilitating training for producers and traders on contracts, price fixation and risk management strategies.

More at FLO press release

Also compare FLO and other certifiers at FTRN Webinars

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Free Sugar & Honey Offered for All World Fair Trade Day Events

March 17, 2011
- Jeff

For all U.S. and Canada WFTD events of all sizes, Wholesome Sweeteners will provide free at least 2 jars of honey and 200 packets of sugar. Events expecting more than 50 attendees will receive more products to serve the entire crowd.

Post your event on the Calendar page to get ordering instructions.

More on World Fair Trade Day

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New Book Published on Fair Trade Movement from UK Perspective

March 17, 2011
- Jeff

The Fair Trade Revolution

Edited by John Bowes, 2011 ~ 257 pg. book ~ high school level & above ~ $20

FTRN says: “Several pioneers of the UK Fairtrade movement contribute chapters on what Fairtrade certification has done for, and gotten from, producers and consumers, while a Nicaraguan coffee farmer and U.S. pioneer add non-UK perspectives. However, the most urgent chapters explore the future: whether reformers and transformers can forge a collaborative movement; whether Fairtrade can advance food security and address climate change; how Fairtrade can scale up but not compromise its values; how retailers, corporations and pioneers can again play different roles in strengthening Fairtrade.”

Summary/review: 14 authors contribute chapters on Fairtrade certification (by FLO), currently the dominant third-party recognition of Fair Trade: its history, its impacts, stories of some key UK companies and producer organizations, evolution of Fair Trade Towns, and the challenges and opportunities for the broader movement.

Buy the book from Macmillan

See other books on Fair Trade recommended by FTRN
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Exciting Events Planned for World Fair Trade Day

March 2, 2011
- Jeff

Around N. America, some exciting and creative events have been planned to involve over 100,000 people in Fair Trade Coffee Breaks:

1. Midwest Fair Trade Fest in Columbus, OH – full day conference of speakers, food, music, and marketplace expecting 1000 attendees.

2. Fair Trade Film Festival in Austin, TX – several days of film screenings, wine & chocolate event and Global Market.

3. Celebration at The Merc Coop in Lawrence, KS – staff training, product samplings, film screening and local group tables.

See more details and events at the Events Calendar.

FTRN is again offering free promotional resources and Fair Trade products to event organizers: posters, postcards, T-shirts, stickers, crafts, chocolate, clothes, ice cream, body care goods, event planning tools, and other resources. Visit WFTD 2011 to learn more and to get involved.

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