Fair Trade Moves from Global to Local
SEPTEMBER 10, 2007 - We're on the road, talking to an ever-expanding list of towns and cities that are making a shift toward more local eating. The biggest change we've noticed? When we first started talking to groups about the 100-mile diet, most people were just excited to try it out for the first time. Now, many have tried 100-mile eating - and now they're angry about all the barriers that local farmers and local eaters face. This movement is turning into a force for change, and everyone seems to be looking for ideas for a food revolution. Well, here's one from our friend and food activist Jeff Nield in Vancouver. A guest blog!
A coalition of groups involved with international fair trade has created the Domestic Fair Trade Working Group to address the fact that domestic farmers are struggling against the same global economic forces that made it necessary to protect small scale farmers internationally. The principles of domestic fair trade include guaranteed rights for farm workers, fair and stable pricing to reflect the true cost of food, long-term trade relationships in order to create stable markets for farmers, and transparency and accountability so that everyone from the farmer to the consumer is aware of who pockets the grocery dollars spent at the check-out. More a value system than a set of rules, domestic fair trade is another tool to create strong local foodsheds.-Jeff Nield
