This was a great article written a week or two ago on Fair Trade Coffee in Time. It dealt with whether coffee farmers are really getting what Fair Trade certification has promised them. This article does a fine job of touching on the complexities of making sure coffee farmers are fairly compensated.
Certification has its cost. There are many small coffee roasters and small coffee farms that cannot afford the certification fees, but still want to make sure everyone a getting a wage for their contribution in the seed to cup coffee food chain.
Have had Fair Trade certification for a year but decided we could not afford to pay the fee anymore. We still buy Fairly Traded coffee but we just don't get the fancy sticker to put on our bags anymore. We also proudly roast coffees from countries like Congo and Burundi where there is not Fair Trade certification but they need our premium dollar for their premium product.
Unfortunately we do not live in a black and white world. Take time to get your coffee from a roaster that goes beyond stating that a coffee is Fair Trade. Demand more information because Fair Trade is not always enough. Who grew your coffee?
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