Although I tend toward organic/non-GMO foods, and I am a member of Puget Consumers Co-op, I have been an opponent of "Fair Trade" since its inception, since it is, to my mind, a scam built upon a false dilemma.
Theoretically, with Fair Trade, you are paying a bit more for better quality and more money in the farmers hands. Neither was possibly true, but what became clear fast is the Fair Trade plenipotentiaries occupying the Fair Trade heights in USA were cleaning up. Later I learned at the farm level it was pay up or get out.
Around that time when Starbucks announced they will always have Fair Trade coffee brewed and ready for sale, I found this not true on my travels, but in every instance the clerks said they would brew it if I ordered it, but they don't brew it ready because it is rarely ordered. How come? "It tastes bad."
That's what you get when your program is designed to scam delusional liberals.
Now, fast forward to October 13, my deliriously leftist food cooperative has an article in their monthly newsletter. Seems they realize they have been had. It appears the main fair trade org has sold out to the big boys, the plan all along. Well, that was inevitable.
And so a new org has been created, which is newer and better. Good luck to them, only time will tell.
My advice would be to forswear the term "Fair Trade" because you cannot build a marketing campaign on emotional blackmail. None of these people need white folks in USA to come to their rescue, they need freedom in their own countries to form contracts without force or fraud, which is protected by governments against small business. In cases where people are free from force or fraud protected by the state, they can rely on free trade to get just compensation, not something cooked up called Fair Trade.
They make good products that would be esteemed elsewhere, and they could turn a profit if allowed to. But in most of these countries, once they have something making money, it will be stolen from them. Heck, we are heading that way in USA.
I hope these people get to free trade, and beyond fair trade.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
Theoretically, with Fair Trade, you are paying a bit more for better quality and more money in the farmers hands. Neither was possibly true, but what became clear fast is the Fair Trade plenipotentiaries occupying the Fair Trade heights in USA were cleaning up. Later I learned at the farm level it was pay up or get out.
Around that time when Starbucks announced they will always have Fair Trade coffee brewed and ready for sale, I found this not true on my travels, but in every instance the clerks said they would brew it if I ordered it, but they don't brew it ready because it is rarely ordered. How come? "It tastes bad."
That's what you get when your program is designed to scam delusional liberals.
Now, fast forward to October 13, my deliriously leftist food cooperative has an article in their monthly newsletter. Seems they realize they have been had. It appears the main fair trade org has sold out to the big boys, the plan all along. Well, that was inevitable.
And so a new org has been created, which is newer and better. Good luck to them, only time will tell.
My advice would be to forswear the term "Fair Trade" because you cannot build a marketing campaign on emotional blackmail. None of these people need white folks in USA to come to their rescue, they need freedom in their own countries to form contracts without force or fraud, which is protected by governments against small business. In cases where people are free from force or fraud protected by the state, they can rely on free trade to get just compensation, not something cooked up called Fair Trade.
They make good products that would be esteemed elsewhere, and they could turn a profit if allowed to. But in most of these countries, once they have something making money, it will be stolen from them. Heck, we are heading that way in USA.
I hope these people get to free trade, and beyond fair trade.
Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.
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