Fair Trade Overview
Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift
themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities,
protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary
to compete in the global marketplace.
Fair Trade is much more than a fair price! Fair Trade principles include:
Fair price: Democratically organized farmer groups receive a guaranteed
minimum floor price and an additional premium for certified organic
products. Farmer organizations are also eligible for pre-harvest credit.
Fair labor conditions: Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy freedom of
association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child
labor is strictly prohibited.
Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade
producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen
and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary
to compete in the global marketplace.
Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade farmers and farm
workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues.
Community development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest
Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like
scholarship programs, quality improvement trainings, and organic certification.
Environmental sustainability: Harmful agrochemicals and GMOs are strictly
prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods
that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems
for future generations.
TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only independent,
third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. and one of
20 members of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO).
TransFair’s rigorous audit system, which tracks products from
farm to finished product, verifies industry compliance with Fair Trade
criteria. TransFair allows U.S. companies to display the Fair Trade
Certified label on products that meet strict Fair Trade standards
Fair Trade Certification is currently available in the U.S. for coffee,
tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate,
fresh fruit, sugar, rice, and vanilla.
