Churches Put Faith into Action with Fair Trade

TimTaylor »

Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:35 pm Agree: 1   Disagree: 1

Fair Trade is an excellent start to ensuring that producers of coffee, cocoa, tea, sugar, bananas and other products are paid a livable wage and treated right. However, even the Fair Trade certification system has flaws. The Fair Trade system only works through cooperatives of producers (farmers). That means not every farmer has access to Fair Trade. An alternative to Fair Trade is Direct Trade. Direct Trade is not a certification. It is a method of trade. Companies that offer Direct Trade goods will spell out the details for what that means for their products. It usually involves a 25% premium above the Fair Trade payment rate directly to the farmer. Currently, the ICE market through which most commodities are traded, has the price of coffee listed at $1.43/lb. This is twelve cents above the Fair Trade rate. In this case, Direct Trade companies will then raise their payment to coffee growers to 25% above wherever the market is at. The idea here is that through Direct Trade, there will always be a premium to whatever else is out there that is paid to the farmer. Another aspect of Direct Trade is that it is always accomplished through direct and personal relationships between the farmer and the roaster (in the case of coffee). This relationship is foundational for the name of Christ to be glorified. There are just a few Direct Trade companies out there who desire to represent Christ in their work. But they are out there. Research online. These are Business As Mission companies. They are working for God's Kingdom. They have social justice on their minds and they have the gospel written on their hearts. And they have found a way to take Fair Trade to a place where there is no way that God can be missed in all the shuffle. And some of these companies will even invite you on a trip with them to visit their farmers. Blessings!