I wanted to get your opinions and advice about incorporating "fair trade" into my buying decisions as part of a socially responsible approach to consumption. First of all, what is fair trade? Second, what's the best way to practice it?

My understanding of fair trade is to try to buy goods and services (not just food) from merchants or vendors who treat their workers fairly, provide liveable wages, and humane working conditions. I'm sure there is more to it. But that was what I have adopted as a working definition for me. Thoughts?

How to practice it has been a challenge. Somebody on the board said before that buying locally and in season sort of takes care of fair trade when you can do it. And I think that makes sense. You are buying from a local farmer. You both minimize your footprint environmentally and support local agriculture.

When I buy imported produce or other raw vegan foodstocks, I am challenged to know if my purchase is socially responsible. And that bothers me.

My first memory of social consciousness in buying came from my parents in the 1970s. We boycotted table grapes to support Caesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. I can remember being an angry adolescent who didn't understand why I couldn't have my favorite fruit until my mother explained it to me through literature and articles.

The funny thing is that so much of the imported produce I see is from Chile or Mexico or Canada. And I have no way to screen how whether it's fair trade even if it's organic. As recently as this past Sunday, I bought some organic cucumbers from Mexico at Trader Joes (should have bought them from the farmer's market, behind the curve). And I have no clue if I made a socially responsible decision or not. No matter. I'm going to do some research because this really matters to me. And I can't think of a better group of people to get feedback from than you folks! Best.

Paul

I always try for Fair Trade because it's just humane. Not everything that is responsibly manufactured/grown and subsequently sold is certified Fair Trade, but that which is crafted or grown on a small scale is more likely to align with the concept of fair trade because it likely required less overhead and marketing. As a consequence[generally], this means the producers/growers work in better conditions and garner more equitable payment for their labor. Thus, to my mind, if I can determine that the producers of the good or food are well treated and well compensated, that product/company is as good as an officially Fair Trade certified one.

I find it's easier with goods, rather than with food, however. Sure, shelf stable things like coffee, tea, and rice are assessed and labeled Fair Trade, but as far as fruits and veggies go, eh, even if you buy local you cannot be sure the farmer wasn't using underpaid migrants that he boarded in a storage container. Unless you know the farmer and his practices, that is(not to disparage good farm people who farm responsibly). And this is the point: at the farmers market, get to know the person representing the operation and get a feel for their values. Avoid anyone who gives you the heebie jeebies, because the person who isn't nice to consumers on Saturday morning probably isn't a peach to his workers on Friday afternoon. Go to the growing operation if possible, walk around meet the employees. You can tell a lot about a farm from the layout or simply from whether they "allow" visits. I like the idea of co-ops, like the cooperative coffee plantaions that were among the originators of modern Fair Trade certification--when there isn't a middleman, like a plantation owner or an importer/exporter, each of whom must be given a cut of potential profits, the growers actually run the business and make a sustaining wage, because there are fewer mouths to feed, so to speak. This is stabilizing to the community and also to the outflow of product to the consumer. Win-win.

Where the official certification is concerned, this is a good resource:
[www.transfairusa.org]

This is a good resource for comparison shopping across "eco-friendly" and "responsibly manufactured" lines:
[www.pristineplanet.com]

Good luck and bless you for making the effort, Paul

My mom organized the local grape boycott group here in Windsor all those many years ago. I boycott all Nestle products now (they own so much that isn't food, Loreal makeup, Leggs pantyhose, Perrier, etc), I think putting your money where your mouth is is a Great practice.
One thing I try to do consistantly is to purchase things grown or produced locally whenever there is that option. The less gas something had to burn to get to me, the better. It's not always the organic choice but it balances out in my mind.

Good topic - what should we boycott and why?

I have had qualms about the goods. There is a store in my area that solely sells fairly traded stuff. The prices are not totally unreasonable. However, Whole Foods also sells fair trade stuff and I cannot help but wonder what kind of cut they get. Because some of their baskets cost $35-40 and it's possible that a "fair wage" could be $4! If the average salary in the country is very low, just doubling or tripling it will automatically appear to be "fair," but then WF may jack up the price to make an obscene profit...