The Wake

University students probably do not think about Guatemalan farmers regularly, especially during the foggy morning walk from dorm room to cafeteria. But have you ever wondered who’s behind your morning caffeine fix?

Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, a student advocacy group dedicated to promoting community issues, is on a statewide campaign to educate students and integrate fair trade products into Minnesota colleges and universities. In a recent study titled “Student Knowledge and Support of Fair Trade,” MPIRG found that students were overwhelmingly in support of fair trade.

At the University of Minnesota, MPIRG found that 69 percent of students surveyed are familiar with the term “fair trade.” Seventy-nine percent said that they would purchase fair trade products if they were available on campus.

Zach Johnson, a sophomore studying chemistry, supports fair trade by purchasing certified products despite the greater costs.

“As long as price mechanisms aren’t being used to get profit for the school, I’m in support of it,” Johnson says.

So I missed the memo … what is Fair Trade?

Fair trade is a process that ensures farmers receive adequate compensation for their product. The Fair Trade Labeling Organization International certifies farmers and ensures they are adhering to Fair Trade guidelines, according to the FTLOI Web site. Farmers benefit from fair trade because it guarantees a fair wage, longer contracts and money to invest back into their land.

The alternative to fair trade is coffee companies that act through middlemen, or “coyotes,” according to organic coffee vendor Salt Spring Co.’s Web site. “Coyotes” buy coffee beans from farmers in isolated areas, giving them the lowest price possible. These loan sharks have a virtual monopoly over all village operations, similar to post-slavery sharecropping.

To be labeled fair trade, farmers also must use environmentally friendly farming practices.

Transfair, a U.S. company that works in tandem with FTLOI, monitors the corporations that have contracts with the farmers. The group inspects financial documents to make sure companies are abiding by fair trade guidelines. This enables Transfair and the Fair Trade Labeling Organization to insure that only companies following the fair trade processes are displaying the logo.

Jean Walsh, outreach associate for Transfair, says the company was founded six years ago and continues to grow because of consumer demands.

Transfair and the FTLOI certify coffee, cocoa, bananas, pineapples, grapes, mangoes and tea. The FTLOI plans to add sugar and rice to the list next.

More than 500 campuses around the country offer fair trade options in their dining halls and other retail locations, according to Walsh. Most campuses start using fair trade products because of student activists. United Students for Fair Trade coordinates fair trade around the country. Melanie Benesh, the Midwest coordinator for USFT says that their main concern is integrating fair trade products onto college campuses around the country.

Since the group’s beginning in Feb. 2003, Benseh has seen dramatic growth in the organization. In her region alone, ten students from different colleges have asked her about bringing fair trade products to their campus, says Benesh.

Fair Trade and ‘U’

Jamie Olson, a university student, finds it difficult to always purchase fair trade products because of the higher prices.

“It’s hard when you are a poor college student,” says Olson. However, she does buy fair trade coffee beans. The price for fair trade coffee is comparable to other gourmet coffee brands.

At the University of Minnesota’s University Dining Services (UDS), a division of ARAMARK Corporation, serves fair trade coffee in all residence halls, according to UDS district manager Larry Wigger. They also provide equally priced fair trade options in all retail locations such as Starbucks and Java City.

Fair trade coffee is more expensive for UDS to purchase, but the higher costs are not passed onto consumers, Wigger says.

UDS does not label the coffee as fair trade, but Wigger believes that it would be a good idea to raise awareness on the issue. Although UDS and ARAMARK are not researching new fair trade foods to incorporate into meal plans and retail locations, Wigger says it is not something the food service is opposed to.

You know it is a big deal when there is a celebrity photo shoot

Fair trade practices have caught the attention of some high-profile celebrities. Chris Martin, the front man for British band Coldplay, recently visited Haiti in Feb. of 2002 and Ghana in Jan. 2005, to promote the Make Trade Fair campaign.

Martin chronicled his Haiti trip on the Make Trade Fair Web site. When dealing with a fair trade organization, coffee farmers receive roughly three times the amount of money they would normally collect when dealing with a non-fair trade organization.

Other celebrities like Antonio Banderas, Micheal Stipe and Colin Firth all lent their fame to the cause by taking photos coated in fair trade products like chocolate and coffee.

Check out the pictures at www.maketradefair.com. Learn more about Fair Trade at www.fairtrade.net, www.transfairusa.org, and www.usft.org.

Abigail Mackenzie is a staff writer for The Wake. Conrad Wilson the contributing editor for The Wake. They welcome comments at office@wakenews.org.