For Immediate Release
Largest North American Fair Trade Conference Seeks to
Transform Global Community
Fair Trade Futures Conference to be held in Quincy, MA, Sept 2010
Washington DC (March 16, 2010) – From September 10-12, 2010, the Fair Trade Futures Conference will bring together entrepreneurs, students, advocates, faith community members, concerned citizens, and interested individuals for the largest Fair Trade event in North American history.
Among the keynote speakers include Kevin Danaher, co-founder of Global Exchange, and representatives from four producer organizations in the field of agricultural products and handmade items.
The Quincy, MA conference, being held at the LEED-certified Marriott Hotel, provides a forum where Fair Trade-minded individuals can learn how to advance the Fair Trade movement in the U.S. Attendees can participate in dozens of workshops, debates, discussions, social activities, and an exposition of more than 50 Fair Trade vendors. Residents of five continents will come together to learn and debate about Fair Trade’s holistic approach to business and poverty alleviation.
“For more than 60 years, Fair Trade Organizations have offered high quality products that create tremendous, positive change among the artisans and farmers worldwide,” says Carmen K. Iezzi, executive director of the Fair Trade Federation. “With the Fair Trade Futures conference, we look to explore the successes of and challenges in building continued momentum behind Fair Trade in North America.”
The 2010 conference is made possible through the generous contributions of many sponsors and supporters, including Catholic Relief Services, Cooperative Coffees, Equal Exchange, the Fair Trade Federation, the Fair Trade Resource Network, Global Crafts, Green America, Handmade Expressions, the Presbyterian Church of the United States, SERRV International, Ten Thousand Villages Canada, and Ten Thousand Village USA.
-Registration Closes on August 16, 2010
-Special student pricing.
-Complimentary tickets for media with press credentials
Find out more about the Fair Trade Futures conference.
Register for the conference.
Contact:
Carmen K. Iezzi
(202) 636-3547
conference@fairtradefederation.org
About the Fair Trade Federation
The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to Fair Trade. The Federation is part of the global Fair Trade movement, building equitable and sustainable trading partnerships and creating opportunities to alleviate poverty.
About the Futures Conference
The 2010 Fair Trade Futures Conference builds on the successful 2005 Futures conference which attracted more than 750 entrepreneurs, consumers, students, activists, faith community members and others to Chicago, Ill. By convening the 2010 event, eleven leading Fair Trade Organizations provides an opportunity to connect established and emerging Fair Trade supporters in a professional, lively, fun, inclusive, and practical atmosphere.
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Small Farmers. Big Change. 
Phyllis,
It was truly good to be with you and other EE worker-owners at Futures. I’m glad we got reacquainted face to face!
One of the ideas I am kicking around as a conference follow up is getting serious about the idea, offered by several fully committed coffee companies even before the 2005 Future conference, of establishing some sort of tiered system to distinguish among the various levels of FT commitment. I’m ruminating on how to couple technology with the good work NGOS already do in ranking, to offer a system that helps consumers and producers know who they are buying from/selling to.
Here’s where my question comes in: I left Boston and headed straight to Provincetown,MA where I have been enjoying Equal Exchange bananas on vacation. On the banana the EE label has a number under your logo and I assumed it was something I could plug into your website to help trace the origins to one of the farmer groups you work with. But I can’t seem to do that.
So, a) am I missing that function somewhere on this or the EE site?, b) if not, do you guys have plans for that kind of traceability?, c) do you have advice for moving forward on the tiered system (assuming you like the idea)?
Thanks for any thoughts/guidance.
Jackie
Hi Jackie,
I was also really happy to talk with you (however briefly) at the conference!
Regarding your question about our bananas and traceability, the number that you mentioned on the sticker is the universally used (at least in U.S.A supermarkets) PLU number for organic bananas.
We do however, have the ability to trace all our bananas to the individual farmer by a code on each box. I’m not sure where you purchase your bananas, but in the “committed” stores (food co-ops and the like), we have also created a large banana tree display where every week the names of the growers of that week’s supply are printed on the leaves of the tree. See https://smallfarmersbigchange.coop/2010/04/27/where-do-your-bananas-come-from/ for photos of the display and a description of how consumers can trace the bananas back to the growers.
In terms of your other question about how to distinguish 100% committed organizations from the rest, I can only tell you about a pilot program we are working on with six food co-ops which is launching October 1st, in time for Co-op Month. The initiative is called Principle Six (the sixth international co-operative principle which is Co-operation Amongst Co-ooperatives) in which we will highlight and promote those products which represent co-ops’ (and their members’) highest values; those being local, small farmer/producer, and co-operative/non-profit produced. Starting tomorrow, consumers shopping at the Brattleboro Food Co-op, Willy Street Grocery Co-op, Davis Food Co-op, The Merc, Seward Community Co-op, and Bloomingfoods Co-op, will begin to see P6 signage, activities, and events. We will also have a website http://www.p6.coop which will explain the initiative and how we hope to change the food system by re-engaging consumers, strengthening co-op supply chains, and supporting small farmers (the roots of fair trade) both internationally and locally.
I’ll have a post up tomorrow about this new initiative. Please let me know if you have any quesitons about what we’re trying to build and how we can work together to support small farmer co-operatives, local economies, and democratically run co-operative businesses.
Thanks again for your comments Jackie and I look forward to continuing to work together on these and other issues.
Take care,
Phyllis