Starbucks, Journey Vineyard Church say to trade fair

Jill Coppler

(Updated: Thursday, March 05, 2009, 1:00 PM)

Last week it was all's fair in trade and coffee. Starbucks was standing room only Wednesday as folks milled around sipping free coffee and learning about fair trade.

The event, which was hosted by Starbucks manager Jen Casner and co-sponsored by members of Journey Vineyard Church, included several short video presentations about the benefits of fair trade in the global coffee market.

Fair trade, a social concept that dates back to at least the 1940s, is a market-based approach which aims to provide fair prices for goods as well as social and environmental standards for producers around the world.

Proponents of fair trade focus on getting fair market prices for exports from, primarily, developing countries. Products include handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, tea, sugar, honey, cotton, wine, fruit and flowers.

The intent is to help marginalized producers and workers move towards economic self-sufficiency.

Fair trade proponents include a variety of international development, aid, social, religious and environmental organizations.

Starbucks, which has been a promoter of fair trade currently sells only a few fair trade brands of coffee, but plans to sell only fair trade certified by 2015, said Casner.

Journey Vineyard Church participates in a co-op called 963coffee, selling the company's fair trade certified coffee grown in Ethiopia as a way to both fund-raise for their international missions projects and support farmers in developing countries.

"This is something we really believe in," said Journey Vineyard Pastor Rick Maizaira

Jess Stanphill, co-organizer of the event told those assembled, "This is not just about a fad. This is really about life and death for farmers all over the world."

Ten reasons to support fair trade

1. Fair trade means fair pay and safe working conditions for farmers and producers.

2. Fair trade supports minimal impact on the environment through farming practices.

3. Fair trade can mean better quality as artisans can offer handmade goods at sustainable prices.

4. Fair trade can mean better tasting food since crops are grown and harvested in smaller quantities.

5. Fair trade is safer because it advocates use of limited chemicals.

6. Fair trade supports communities by allowing small farmers to invest their better wages into their local schools, hospitals and housing.

7. Fair trade strengthens the relationship between buyers and producers with buyers having an invested interest in the global benefits and farmers in the financial benefits of producing quality.

8. Fair trade connects consumers to other cultures, since the products reflect the cultures of the producers.

9. Fair trade helps the economies of producers remain more stable by providing wages that can be invested.

10. Fair trade allows buyers to take a part in improving the global economy.

Information taken from the Fair Trade Resource Network.