FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fair Trade Certifiers and Stakeholder Groups Sign Agreement to Work Toward Collaboration and Accountability in Domestic Fair Trade
Boston, MA, February 1, 2011—The Domestic Fair Trade Association announced today that organizations engaged in fair trade and social justice standard-setting and certification have signed an agreement to work cooperatively and with a shared understanding and common vision for building a movement for socially just agriculture.
Recognizing that fair trade and social justice claims and programs are proliferating in the marketplace, increasing the potential for confusion in the public sphere about the similarities and differences among claims, a number of certifiers and stakeholders have been engaged in dialogue to discuss certification and standards for domestic fair trade. This agreement, called the Boston Accord, has come out of this dialogue and is a commitment to continue to work together, transparently share program information, and work towards establishing a code of conduct for legitimate fair trade organizations.
The Accord was signed by the Institute for Marketecology (IMO), Scientific Certification Services, and Agricultural Justice Project partners El Comité de Apoyo a Los Trabajadores Agricolas (CATA), Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA), Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) CT, NH, NJ, NY, RI, and VT chapters, and Florida Organic Growers.
Showing their support for this important process, a number of stakeholders from across the food and agriculture system also signed the Accord including Berkshire Co-operative Market, Centro Campesino, Community to Community Development, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, Equal Exchange, FairDeal Value Chain Non-profit, Fair World Project, Farmer Direct Co-operative, Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA), Once Again Nut Butter, Organic Valley, and Willamette Seed and Grain.
This is an open and transparent process. To become involved in the dialogue, read the full Accord, or request more information, contact DFTA:
Kerstin Lindgren
617-680-9862
kerstin@thedfta.org
The Domestic Fair Trade Association (DFTA) is an association of farmers, farmworkers, food workers, retailers, marketers, processors, manufacturers, and NGOs with the mission to promote and protect the integrity of Domestic Fair Trade principles through education, marketing, advocacy and endorsement.
Contact: Kerstin Lindgren, kerstin@thedfta.org, 617-680-9862
Small Farmers. Big Change. 
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