Brewing justice: Fair Trade Certified tea in the U.S.While Fair Trade Certified See certification. coffee has become the fastest growing segment of the specialty coffee industry, many in the hot beverage industry are just beginning to recognize the importance of Fair Trade for tea workers and the emerging market for Fair Trade Certified tea in the U.S. Fair Trade Certified Tea Estates In contrast to Fair Trade Certified coffee, which is exclusively produced by cooperatives of small-scale family farmers, Fair Trade Certified tea is typically produced on large plantations PLANTATIONS. Colonies, (q.v.) dependencies. (q.v.) 1 Bl. Com. 107. In England, this word, as it is used in St. 12, II. c. 18, is never applied to, any of the British dominions in Europe, but only to the colonies in the West Indies and America. 1 Marsh. Ins, B. 1, c. 3, Sec. 2, page 64. (e.g. India, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (srē läng`kə) [Sinhalese,=resplendent land], formerly Ceylon, ancient Taprobane, officially Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, island republic (2005 est. pop. , East Africa) with private ownership and management distinct from the working population, which resides on and within the estate. Like coffee farmers, tea workers are able to make meaningful improvements in their living standards living standards npl → nivel msg de vida living standards living npl → niveau m de vie living standards living npl as a result of Fair Trade. To become certified, a tea estate provides workers with fair wages, democratic working conditions, adequate housing and healthcare. Certified estates encourage sustainable farming methods, prohibit child labor child labor, use of the young as workers in factories, farms, and mines. Child labor was first recognized as a social problem with the introduction of the factory system in late 18th-century Great Britain. abuses, and create a Joint Body -- a special council on the estate composed of workers and estate managers. The Joint Body decides how the Fair Trade premium (paid by licensed tea importers) will be used to benefit the whole worker community. The premium is often invested in social development projects relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc housing, healthcare, education, or local infrastructure. For example, in Ambootia, a certified tea estate in Darjeeling, India, the Fair Trade premium has been invested in specialized medical care, recreation, environmental restoration, scholarships, and additional income-generating projects. Currently there are 45 Fair Trade Certified tea estates in seven countries across Asia and Africa, benefiting more than 120,000 workers and their families. Since Fair Trade focuses on supporting the poorest workers in developing countries, tea estates in Japan (a fully developed nation) are not eligible for certification. FLO See MediaFLO. has recently created a "small holder agreement" under which a small landowner, or a collective of small landowners, may work with a tea factory to have their tea produced within Fair Trade criteria. Under this agreement, the Fair Trade premium would go directly to these small landowners and be used to benefit the worker community. Fair Trade Certified Tea in the US In September 2000, Seattle-based Granum granum [L.] grain; very small particles. , Inc. (manufacturers of Choice Organic Teas), became the first company to launch Fair Trade Certified tea in the U.S. Blake Rankin, Granum's president, feels that American consumers are quite receptive receptive /re·cep·tive/ (re-cep´tiv) capable of receiving or of responding to a stimulus. to the concept. "Interest in Fair Trade teas is very high. Especially in the market segments where Fair Trade coffee has prospered, support has been tremendous, and we have found that certified organics and Fair Trade certification represent marketing positions with great appeal. For us, Fair Trade is a perfect way to give back to tea-growing communities, and provides our company with a greater sense of workday fulfillment ful·fill also ful·fil tr.v. ful·filled, ful·fill·ing, ful·fills also ful·fils 1. To bring into actuality; effect: fulfilled their promises. 2. ." Granum has certified all of its black and green teas (bulk and bag) that are eligible for certification. The market for Fair Trade Certified tea is still new, but growing quickly, and may yet become, as it is in coffee, the fastest growing segment of the specialty industry. In the past year, four more companies have joined Granum in offering Fair Trade Certified tea, and TransFair continues to receive growing interest from tea companies all over the U.S. Most recently, the Sierra Club Sierra Club, national organization in the United States dedicated to the preservation and expansion of the world's parks, wildlife, and wilderness areas. Founded (1892) in California by a group led by the Scottish-American conservationist John Muir, the Sierra Club , one of the nation's largest environmental organizations, announced they would be launching a Fair Trade Certified tea (to join its recently launched Fair Trade Certified coffee) later this year. To find out more about Fair Trade tea, call TransFair USA TransFair USA, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the American member of FLO International, which unites 23 Fairtrade producer and labelling initiatives across Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. at (1)(510) 663-5260 or e-mail info@transfairusa.org. RELATED ARTICLE: FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED TEA Fair Trade supports a better life for tea workers by: * Guaranteeing them fair wages and democratic working conditions * Paying them a Fair Trade premium in addition to their wages (provided by Fair Trade tea importers) that is collectively managed and used to benefit the worker community * Promoting the use of sustainable farming methods that are safer for humans and the environment Prohibiting child labor abuses HOW FAIR TRADE CERTIFICATION WORKS TransFair USA is a member of the international NGO NGO abbr. nongovernmental organization Noun 1. NGO - an organization that is not part of the local or state or federal government nongovernmental organization Fair Trade Labeling Organizations (FLO), which is headquartered in Bonn, Germany. FLO serves as the representative body for Fair Trade certification initiatives in 17 different countries, and also manages the Fair Trade Certification List, which names certified producer groups. FLO coordinates the review and approval of producer groups that apply for certification, and also is responsible for regular onsite inspections to ensure Fair Trade standards are being maintained. WHERE TO BUY FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED TEA Choice Organic Teas/Granum, Inc: 206-525-0051, www.choiceorganicteas.com QTrade International: 949-766-0070 Taylor Maid: 707-824-9110, www.taylormaidfarms.com Royal Gardens Tea/Thanksgiving Coffee Company: 800-462-1999, www.thanksgivingcoffee.com Trinity Herb: 888-874-4372, www.trinityherb.com |
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