Support the Authentic Fair Trade Movement

We, the undersigned, reaffirm our commitment to the authentic Fair Trade movement that we have collectively built for 25 years since Equal Exchange was founded and first introduced Fair Trade food products into the United States.

Small farmer co-operatives are the center of our Fair Trade movement. We believe that cooperative organization is essential for small farmers to survive and thrive, and the cooperative model is an important vehicle for economic empowerment and social change. Working with small farmer co-operatives through Fair Trade strengthens farming communities world-wide, protects the environment and builds a just and sustainable food system for all.

Therefore we vigorously oppose Fair Trade USA (previously Transfair USA)’s Fair Trade for All initiative, which seeks to allow coffee, cacao and other commodities from plantations into the Fair Trade system. This strategy means that small farmers will now be forced to compete with large plantations for market access – the very reason Fair Trade was created in the first place. The Fair Trade community opposes this action. We oppose the lower standards Fair Trade USA proposes and the lack of farmer and producer governance on Fair Trade USA’s board. We believe that their Fair Trade For All initiative threatens small farmer co-operatives' existence and Fair Trade itself.

We ask companies, organizations and consumers to choose authentic, small farmer-centered Fair Trade.