Farmer Direct, a Canadian farmer-owned cooperative, is the first organisation to receive certification for a fair trade scheme that has been adapted to the needs of developed countries.
Why fair trade in developed countries?
Two farmers who have helped formalise the fairDeal explain the needs of workers and farmers in developed countries.
"People usually associate fair trade with coffee, sugar, bananas and other crops from the global south, but fair wages to farm workers and fair prices to farmers are just as much a concern in industrialized nations like Canada and the United States," explains Murray Horkoff a Farmer Direct Coop farmer-owner. "Now organic consumers can purchase fairly traded, flax, wheat, beans, hemp, peas, lentils and other crops grown in the Northern Hemisphere," adds Horkoff.
"Most of society is unaware that farm workers in many states and provinces are not protected under Federal, State or Provincial Labour laws. Since farm workers have no recourse under law they are often exploited. Therefore, organic consumers are now demanding organic foods that are fairly traded," states Keith Neu another Farmer Direct Coop farmer-owner. "We are proud to be able to offer certified organic, fairly traded food to these families."
About the fairDeal
Along with fair prices to farmers and living wages to farm workers the fairDeal, an organic industry supply chain non-profit and product seal, was founded to incorporate fair trade, pay equity and other additional ethical standards into organic agriculture.
The fairDeal is a nonprofit organisation that was developed through the collective efforts of a number of organisations in Canada and the US including the Agricultural Justice Project, RAFI and Farmer Direct Co-operative.
Farms are independently certified through Quality Certification Services, an independent auditing company with a long history of organic certification across North America.
For more information on the fairDeal is available on the Farmer Direct Coop website.
You would like to think fair would have always been fair in all countries. Thanks
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