Fair Trade Blog

Now you can add Fair Trade Flowers to your shopping list!  TransFair, the only Fair Trade certification organisation in the United States, now certifies producers of the roses you give on Valentine’s Day, or that fall bouquet for grandma’s house at Thanksgiving.

The transition to Fair Trade production by growers, mainly in Colombia, Kenya, and Ecuador, is a huge improvement for workers at large flower plantations.

Production to satisfy the 19.5 billion dollar cut flower and plant market is labor and chemical intensive.  Workers at non-certified plantations often suffer from repeated exposure to toxic insecticides and herbicides.  When the crush for holiday shipments is at it’s peak, workers can be forced to work up to 18 hours without overtime pay to deliver flowers in time for big days like Valentine’s Day. 

Did you know that 90 percent of all gift flowers purchased in the US are given to women and that most of the floriculture workers on Fair Trade plantations are women?  It’s a parallel that demands mention.

Fair Trade in flower production directly benefits the women who make it successful.  In additon to a living wage for all it’s workers, certification requires employee benefits including 12 weeks paid maternity leave and childcare. 

Certification also alleviates a heinous practice common in modern agriculture — exposing workers to toxic chemicals.  Floriculture is the most chemical intensive agricultural practice in the world.  Studies have found over half of flower plantation workers showed signs of chemcial poisoning in countries like Ecuador. 

Plantations engaged in Fair Trade commit to reducing chemical use and provide saftey measures for workers like protective clothing.  Organic practices are becoming more widely used, but since flowers are simply admired instead of consumed, the transition has been slow in taking root.  While organic practice has not even been tried in production of the most common crops like carnations and lillies, organic practices continue to spread.

Fair Trade Flowers are readily available.  FTD, 1-800-FLOWERS, and even Sam’s Club offer them online.  Grocery chains including GIANT Food Stores, King’s Super Markets, and Whole Foods Market, offer them in their Floral sections. 

So the next time you want to say something nice, say it with Fair Trade flowers!

Keep shopping your good values!

Europeans have always been ahead of us Americans in embracing Fairtrade.  In Europe, whole towns and villages have adopted fair trade as a principle of commerce.  Two countries are now racing toward becoming the first Fairtrade country. 

In December, it was announced that Caerphilly, a Welsh town is trying to become the latest town to gain fairtrade status in Wales to help that country become the first Fairtrade country.   Wales is just three towns shy of gaining the coveted title of first in the world. 

The tiny alpine country of Leichtenstein is also working toward the title, but it appears that Wales currently is closer to the goal according to the Max Havelaar Foundation which is monitoring and verifying the process. 

To become a Fairtrade country, towns and counties have embarked on a campaign to offer fairtrade products in their public spaces such as in workplaces, schools, churchs and government facilities.  Then the products must reach a certain target number of the population. 

The whole point, expressed by Robert Parker-Munn, former Mayor of Llanidloes in Powys county, which has already acheived Fairtrade status, is “becoming a Fairtrade nation is Wales’ chance to make a positive difference to the world.”

We have a long way to go in this country in embracing the positive contributions of Fairtrade.  Media, Pennsylvania is the only Fairtrade community in the US. 

Is it possible your county, town, or city could gain Fairtrade status?  Check out this link to find out how to get Fairtrade status for your community.  Perhaps its time to close the gap with the europeans in the Fairtrade race. 

Keep shopping your good values! 

Kile