Purchase Fair Trade Coffee & Tea: You Can Give Farmers a Chance

Give farmers and their families a way up (not a hand out).

The Coalition for Fair Trade in the Diocese of Oakland tells us that fair trade supports artisans and farmers around the world by promoting an alternative to business-as-usual. Through Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade coffee, chocolate, and Work of Human Hands crafts programs, disadvantaged producers earn a fair price for their labor, get access to credit and training, and develop mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with organizations dedicated to the principles of human dignity and economic justice.

In my town, Fair Trade certified coffee and tea have been seen at Trader Joe’s, Costco, Safeway, and Target.

Next time you shop for coffee or tea, please take 2 extra minutes and look for the fair trade logo clearly printed on the front of the package.

For more information on fair trade products, what they look like, and where to buy them, see:

TransFair USA: http://www.transfairusa.org

Catholic Relief Services: http://www.crs.org