Fair Trade and Misrepresentation

System

Its a constant element of the coffee industry,its associations and associated hanger-ons, that ownership of logos,supposed standards and self supporting moral high-ground, does not necessarily mean that truth is part of their platform. The current inappropiate misuse of the Fair Trade agenda in the market-place is a prime example. Thankfully we have more positive options as industry professionals.Give me Rainforest Alliance beans any day over Fair Trade beans and always search for truth my brother and sisters -- The Coffee Monk

FreshCoffee2

G, right on brother. Regardz, FC. (A). PS the problem is, no one outside the industry knows what this little gem posting of yours is about!

nunu

It's similar to the misuse/misrepresentation of certified organic.  People have figured out that it's a way to garner higher prices for the commodity.  There's going to be crooked people everywhere, it alsmost seems like human nature to expect one to do the wrong thing, especially if they are under the impression that they can get away with it without penalty.

ausrs

geesh look at the "made in australia" kangaroo logo and the "heart" logo on meat you have to pay to use those logo,s adding cost to the product sad part is many people believe the hype surrounding a particular product .........100% organically grown ......ummm it comes from the ground .......ground is 100% organic ......do some farmers  use "organic" pesticide or just spend their days picking bugs off of coffee plants ???????? its ALL advertising hype ,and whilst there are stupid consumers it WILL work .........same as any other product ......whoever is doing the advertising it will say that theirs is the best  

Fastcar

My response to anyone who asks me about fairtrade - Can we compare wheatfarming in Australia to wheatfarming in in poor Latin American Countries ? Do consumers compare rice grown in the Ord River in Western Australia with rice grown in rice paddies in South East Asia ? Where is the fairtrade rice and wheat and ... ???