Fair Trade
Agriculture is big business. But for the majority of farmers – especially small-scale, family farmers – the benefits are small. In developing countries, most farmers work modest plots of land, isolated from markets. The path from their farm to your table is long, with many middlemen along the way. That means little of the money you spend on food actually reaches the people growing it.
Equal Exchange has created a different path to the market – one that brings farmers closer to you, and delivers more of your dollars to their communities. They do this by partnering with small-scale farmer co-ops that are democratically organized, which means they make decisions on their terms.
Through this model, we believe food can become a delicious and powerful tool for creating Big Change for small farmers, their families and communities.
Fair Trade includes:
- Direct purchasing from those who are poorly served by conventional markets, specifically small farmers and their co-operatives.
- Agreed upon commodity floor prices that provide for a dignified livelihood.
- A promise by importers to make affordable credit available to the farmer co-operatives.
- A worldwide network of non-profit certifying organizations.
- A fee paid by the importers and wholesalers to cover the cost of certification.
- A seal that assures consumers that a product was fairly traded.
How Fair Trade Benefits Small Farmers (click image to enlarge)
Equal Exchange provides high-quality foods at a fair price to you. By cutting out the middlemen, Equal Exchange pays the farmers more and gives you a better value.
The content of this page is courtesy of Equal Exchange.
© 2009 Equal Exchange, Inc. 50 United Drive, West Bridgewater, MA 02379 Phone: 774-776-7400 • Fax: 508-587-0088
