Equal Exchange: Crisis in Fair Trade
Thursday, January 19, 2012

"We need to be clear: …fair trade came from the south, most specifically from one coop (UCIRI) in southern Oaxaca, Mexico. The idea was not to give control of the fair trade system to European non-profits, or bureaucrats, or multi-national companies or to plantations; but that is exactly what is happening." Equal Exchange co-founder Rink Dickinson, in his November presentation to the InterReligious Task Force on Central America

Co-op members' commitment to small farmer cooperatives and Fair Trade, over the past 25 years, has helped trading co-ops like Equal Exchange build and strengthen small farmer cooperative supply chains. Because consumers are willing to buy Fair Trade, small farmer organizations across the world have achieved the level of success they currently enjoy.

Unfortunately, this success and all our advances are now in jeopardy.

Deep controversies in the Fair Trade movement have been simmering over the past decade. Today, the situation has reached a boiling point and concrete actions must be taken or we risk losing everything we have collectively built.

Read this report from Rink Dickinson, co-founder and co-president of Equal Exchange, about the state of Fair Trade in the tea industry:

"The area we (EE) work most closely with in tea is Darjeeling in India. A tremendous number of estates there are fair trade. Those estates do not need access to markets. They already sell to tea companies and brokers throughout Europe and the U.S. For them fair trade is simply another aspect of their product that they offer to consumers that want it. To an extremely large extent nothing really changed for those plantations in becoming fair trade. They simply allowed their workers (who were already in unions) to create a committee shared with management to disburse some modest premium dollars to a development fund. In return, they had this extra "product attribute" to offer to Twinings or Bigelow, or Celestial or Stash. Perhaps more importantly the northern certifiers such as Transfair got to offer more products, take more market share in their competition with other social responsibility programs, and make more income.

Making this situation more ironic, the plantation tea workers who are weak players in this system are legally bonded to the land. They are tied to the plantations in a feudal manner. How can the people who pick the tea be bonded and the product be considered fair trade?"

How indeed can modern serfdom be part of Fair Trade?

How did this happen?

Fair Trade USA (formerly TransFair USA) has slowly but steadily chipped away at our principles and values, only recently taking the final steps in building their strategy. They have taken the name Fair Trade USA, then proceeded to leave the international Fair Trade System (FLO International/FairTrade International), lower standards, eliminate farmers from their governance model, and invite large-scale plantations into coffee and all other commodities.

This is not Fair Trade and we are asking you to join with us in differentiating TransFair's model from the authentic small farmer Fair Trade that we are collectively building.

Our Model: Authentic Fair Trade

In 1986, Equal Exchange (EE) was founded to challenge the existing trade model. EE supports small farmers and connects consumers and producers through information, education, and the exchange of products in the marketplace. At its founding, EE joined a growing movement of small farmers, alternative traders (ATOs), religious organizations, and non-profits throughout the world who shared similar principles and objectives. The U.S. consumer co-op movement has been an integral part of this movement.

Underlying EE's Fair Trade work is the belief that only through organization can small farmers survive and thrive. The cooperative model has been essential for building this model of change.

In the 1990s, Equal Exchange joined with a number of other organizations to create the certifying agency, TransFair USA. The goal was to create a mechanism to ensure that a company's products were providing social, economic and environmental impact for the small farmer organizations that grew them. Third party certification for Fair Trade was similar to certification for organic products, in that it provides consumers with confidence in their purchases. This turned out to be good business and TransFair grew as a result.

The certifiers have their own ideas… and interests

As time passed, TransFair began to take on a life of its own. Rather than confine itself to its purpose as a certifying agency, collecting fees from industries that used its seal and monitoring them to ensure that Fair Trade practices were being met, TransFair soon developed its own vision. "Quantity over Quality," "Breadth over Depth," and other qualifiers came to be used to describe TransFair's vision of a world in which vast numbers of products throughout the grocery store could be certified Fair Trade, in as fast a manner as possible.

Their problem was supply. Working with small farmer organizations can be challenging and time-consuming. These organizations don't have the same access to market, credit, infrastructure, and technology that large plantations generally do. Over the opposition of the ATOs, farmer organizations, and a host of other Fair Trade advocates, TransFair and its umbrella organization FairTrade Labelling Organization (FLO) began certifying plantation tea, bananas, cut flowers, and other products with a set of different, less rigorous standards than those elaborated for small farmer organizations.

Soon, large corporations began to see value in certification as well. They discovered that consumers would respect all of their products, even if only one or two were certified as Fair Trade. TransFair rapidly began courting big businesses into the Fair Trade "family", such as Chiquita, Dole, and Nestle. The Fair Trade advocates protested, to no avail. Big business profits grew and, as more volume got certified, TransFair continued to grow as well.

Current happenings

These actions, and many others throughout the years, have created large-scale opposition against the certifiers and bad feelings have mounted about the lack of transparency, accountability, openness, and representation on the boards and within the committees of FLO International and TransFair USA. Little has changed. Until this year, when the growing rift finally reached a head:

It is time to withdraw support from TransFair USA/FairTrade USA products. They do not represent Fair Trade.

What are we asking?

Please join with us in signing, and circulating, the public statement.

At this time, EE is asking co-ops to inform and educate staff and consumers. Eventually, we hope to enter into dialogue with the companies who are using the TransFair seal on their products in order to explain to them that authentic Fair Trade means support for small farmers, not plantations and corporations. These conversations will ultimately affect what certification will look like and how consumer/citizens think about fair trade and the future economic, social, and political prospects of small farmers.

For more information on Equal Exchange's perspective on the differences between Authentic Fair Trade and what TransFair USA is doing, please read Rink Dickinson's views. Read a producer point of view.

Ever'man Natural Foods Cooperative supports and will remain engaged with small farmers and with the international Fair Trade system. We will keep you posted on events as they unfold.

Here is Tomorrow
Friday, December 23, 2011

The Cooperative Movement's first sound motion picture via Food For Change.

Ever'man donated money to help the folks at Food For Change realize their film making goals.

"Food For Change is a feature-length documentary film about food co-ops and the history of the cooperative movement in America. The goal of the film is to raise awareness nationally about the cooperative economic model, promote cross-sector cooperative collaboration, and provide cooperative education to co-op members, college students and the general public. The movie focuses on consumer food co-ops to tell the larger story of cooperatives - their role in American history and their current efforts to create local food systems.

The project began when award-winning filmmaker and co-op member Steve Alves was asked to make a film for the Franklin Community Co-op. Alves uncovered many historical films and stories about the increase of cooperatives following the stock market crash of 1929 and throughout the Great Depression — achievements which were later thwarted when consumerism and the cold war prevailed as dominant economic and social forces. Food co-ops re-emerged from the tumultuous events of the 1960s as an alternative to factory farms and corporate grocery chains. "

More Information: Watch "Here is Tomorrow" on the Food For Change Website

Farm Friends November Newsletter
Monday, November 21, 2011

Organic Valley's November Newsletter is full of great holiday food solutions, new exciting recipes and tips on negotiating a table of diverse diets. Also, Organic Valley and Stonyfield Organic have teamed up for the Celebrate with Organic contest giveaway where you can enter to win a year's worth of Stonyfield or Organic Valley dairy products. For every entry, they will donate $.20 to Wholesome Wave

More Information: Farm Friends November

Rodale Institute Completes 30-Year Study on Organic/Conventional Farming
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Organic farming: the economical choice. Organic farming uses less energy and has produced twice the yield of traditional agriculture. Read this great report on organic farming.

More Information: Rodale Institute -- The First 30 Years

Moving Planet Pensacola
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

This past Saturday, September 24th, Ever'man hosted the Moving Planet event in our Green Space.
50 bikes, including Mayor Ashton Hayward and his family, took to Pensacola's downtown streets this past Saturday for (a very successful) Moving Planet. Thanks to everyone who came out to help raise climate consciousness and sustainability efforts in our city! Check out our photos from the event and then go to the Moving Planet website to see the world in action : http://www.moving-planet.org/

Moving Planet Pensacola
Monday, August 29, 2011

On September 24th in hundreds of communities across the country and around the world, people on bicycles and on foot, in trains and kayaks, will gather at rallies to mark a major new effort to demonstrate one essential truth:

We need to move beyond fossil fuels if we are to create a sustainable future.

Are you ready to become part of the future? At 9am on Saturday, September 24th, people on bicycles will gather at Ever’man Natural Foods, 315 W. Garden Street, in Pensacola. We’ll enjoy a five-loop through the downtown area, with particular attention to some of the more sustainable destinations easily reachable without a car (such as the weekly Palafox Market). It will be a fun and easy ride suitable for people of all ages and abilities. Then it’s back to the Green Space at Ever’man for a rally and celebration of the bicycle.

Download More Information: MovingPlanetPensacola_sml_poster.pdf

More Information: http://movingplanetpensacola.org/

GMOs LINKED TO ORGAN DISRUPTION IN 19 STUDIES
Monday, June 13, 2011

A new paper shows that consuming genetically modified (GM) corn or soybeans leads to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice, particularly in livers and kidneys. By reviewing data from 19 animal studies, Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini and others reveal that 9% of the measured parameters, including blood and urine biochemistry, organ weights, and microscopic analysis (histopathology), were significantly disrupted in the GM-fed animals.

Click below to read entire article.

More Information: Learn more about GMO studies here

JAPAN'S NUCLEAR CRISIS AND EVER'MAN FOOD SAFETY
Monday, June 13, 2011

In response to inquiries from our customers on the topic of foods imported from Japan, United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has reached out to suppliers for information on their specific products and plans. To read more about Ever'man's suppliers' food safety and policies, click on the link below.

More Information: Japan's Food Crisis and supplier food safety

MAY 2ND - 8TH IS HEMP HISTORY WEEK
Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Hemp industry is sponsoring a national, grass-roots public education campaign effort to resume hemp farming in the U.S.

Hemp, once grown by our founding fathers was last planted in this country in the late 1950's. Consumer demand has risen to over an estimated $400 million, however, U.S. farmers are prohibited from growing hemp; so we currently import hemp from other countries.

Click below to read more about Hemp history week.

Also, you can visit truthabouthemp.org to learn even more about hemp.

More Information: Learn about Hemp History Week

FARMERS & SEED PRODUCERS LAUNCH PREEMPTIVE STRIKE AGAINST MONSANTO
Friday, April 01, 2011

Lawsuit Filed To Protect Themselves from Unfair Patent Enforcement on Genetically Modified Seed

Action Would Prohibit Biotechnology Giant from Suing Organic Farmers and Seed Growers If Innocently Contaminated by Roundup Ready Genes.

More Information: Click here to read complete article

PEACE CEREAL GIVES BACK
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Peace Cereal Gives Back

The National Park Foundation is the designated charity this spring in the Peace Cereal Giving Back program. For every Peace Cereal item sold between April 1st and June 30th, NPF will receive a contribution. Peace Cereal will donate a minimum of $7,500 to the National Park Foundation. As we head into National Park Week next month, Peace Cereal is offering you a chance to win too! Enter the National Park Sweepstakes from March 21st to April 20th and you could win one of several great prizes including a trip to a national park of your choice, gift cards to a sporting goods retailer, or a national park gift pack. All you have to do is submit your email address at www.peacecereal.com/npsweepstakes.

More Information: Visit Peace Cereal's Website

SENATE APPROVES BILL - FDA MUST REVAMP FOOD SAFETY
Thursday, December 09, 2010

In what would be the biggest overhaul of the nation's food safety laws in seven decades, the Senate on Tuesday approved a raft of regulations that would require food manufacturers and farmers to use scientific techniques to prevent contaminated food - a shift aimed at stopping the waves of foodborne illnesses that have shaken consumer confidence in the safety of the food supply. Click below to read full article.

More Information: Washington Post: Senate Approvals Bill

MALE FISH NOW EXHIBITING FEMALE TRAITS DUE TO TOXIC CHEMICALS & PHARMA RUNOFF
Monday, September 13, 2010

Natural News reports, "More than 80 percent of male bass in the Potomac River on the U.S. Atlantic coast are producing eggs or showing other female traits, the nonprofit Potomac Conservancy has warned, in a call for more research into the causes of intersex fish."

More Information: Click here to read full article

Silk® SOYMILK ANNOUNCES ENROLLMENT IN THE NON-GMO PROJECT’S Product VERIFICATION PROGRAM
Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Broomfield, Colo. (August 18, 2010) – Silk® Soymilk, the leading soymilk brand in the U.S., today announced it has enrolled in the Non-GMO Project’s Product Verification Program. The Non-GMO Project, launched in 2008, is a non-profit collaboration of manufacturers, retailers, distributors, farmers, seed companies and consumers dedicated to the shared mission of ensuring the sustained availability of non-GMO food and beverage choices. Since the brand’s inception in 1996, Silk has been committed to providing non-GMO plant-based protein beverages. GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are organisms that have been created through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE).

Download More Information: Silk Article Continued

More Information: Silk Soy Milk

NATIONAL MAGAZINE RATES PENSACOLA'S TAP WATER
Thursday, July 01, 2010

Pensacola's poor water quality is once again in a national publication. Open the link below to read an article published in the July edition of Women's Health magazine. The article explains the harmful additives found in tap water, more importantly, it points out cities with the best and worst tap water. Unfortunately, Pensacola is ranked number one in the country.

EATING PROCESSED MEATS, BUT NOT UNPROCESSED RED MEATS, MAY RAISE RISK OF HEART DISEASE AND DIABETES
Thursday, June 03, 2010

A new study found that individuals who ate processed meats may be increasing their risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The researches, however, did not find the same results in those who ate unprocessed meats which included red meats, lamb, beef and pork.

More Information: Click here to read full article

OIL SPILL NEWS: LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE
Tuesday, June 01, 2010

While we're all upset about the Gulf oil spill, it really shouldn't come as a big surprise. For many years our built environment has been designed in ways that maximize our use of fossil fuels—larger, inefficient homes and buildings, and communities where we have to drive a car to meet nearly all of our daily needs. Read full article below.

Download More Information: Looking at the Big Picture

More Information: helpful websites and information

STUDY SHOWS NO BENEFITS OF ORGANICS, BUT FAILS TO DISCLOSE LINK TO MONSANTO
Wednesday, May 26, 2010

A recent study from the UK questions the validity of the health benefits of organics. The study's research however, was funded by Monsanto. Read the full story below.

More Information: Read the full article on www.naturalfoodnet.com

NEW ALARM BELLS ABOUT CHEMICALS IN CANCER
Monday, May 10, 2010

New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof reports on a study by the President’s Cancer Panel, warning that lax regulations may negatively affect our health.

More Information: Read the full article on www.nytimes.com

SPEAK OUT FOR HEALTHY FOODS IN SCHOOL!
Friday, March 26, 2010

ACTION ALERT:

Support legislation to help schools serve healthier food!

Childhood obesity and diabetes are at epidemic levels in our country. At Organic Valley, we promote the benefits of delicious, healthy eating, but realize that some children have little access to the nutritious foods that they need.

You can make a difference in the lives of more than 31 million children by helping schools serve healthier food. The National School Lunch program is a big part of the solution. Ask Congress to pass a strong Child Nutrition Act.

Right now, legislators are considering changes that will enable more schools to buy food from local farmers, cook fresh meals, teach healthy eating, and plant school gardens. This is an enormous opportunity for families and for farmers. Slow Food USA's Time for Lunch campaign website makes it easy for you to email your legislators.

Helping more schools serve healthy, local food would be a major step forward towards a future where everyone can enjoy food that's good for us, good for the planet and good for the farmers who produce it.

The Senate Agriculture Committee will begin marking up the bill this Wednesday, March 24, so your timely comments make a difference. Please take a moment to speak out at Slow Food USA's Time for Lunch. Then, contact us at rootstock@organicvalley.coop to let us know you took action.

Thanks for all you do!

The Farmers and Staff of Organic Valley
www.organicvalley.coop

More Information: Ask Congress/Slow Food USA's Time For Lunch

PROTECT YOUR HEALTH CARE RIGHTS! DSHEA TARGETED
Friday, March 26, 2010

DSHEA TARGETED

Our right to take supplements is under attack, and yet again the target is our stronghold of health freedom: the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). As we know, there has been a well-established pattern of attempting to weaken DSHEA with amendments and modifications.

This bill, the Dietary Supplement Safety Act of 2010, would impose new requirements on supplement makers. These rules would needlessly complicate the production of natural supplements, making it harder for manufacturers to focus on innovation and quality.

In a worst-case scenario, this all-encompassing adverse event reporting amendment might even ultimately revoke our right to take supplements altogether.

Click link below to read entire article.

More Information: Nutritional Health Alliance