1. The Local Fair Trade Network debuted its new label for locally produced, fair-trade food at
the Birchwood Cafe in south Minneapolis last week. Diners were treated to samples of
chilled zucchinkrnion soup, prepared with produce from Riverbend Farm, one of four farms
participating in the pilot label program Union Adrocate photo
L(rcAL FOOD,
HARVESTED
JUSTLY
Local fai r-tra de advocates
launch iew tabel, gluarantee
faimes.s from field to fridg.
By Mlchael Moorc
Union Advocate editor
Emesto Bustos, an organi2erwith the
farm worker- advocacy group Centro
Campesing speaks higfuy oi an organic
farm outside Rushford, in the rollinghills
of Minnesot€r's southeast comer. It's called
Featherstone Farms, he says, and it's a
place where farm oumer and farm worker
approach each otherwith honesty and
respect. i
' That may not sound like much, but in
Bustos'line of work, Featherstone Farms
is arare find.
"Farm workers have been taken
advantage of for the longest time," Bustos
(Gorvrlnuro or Pacr 8)
Fair-tra{e,labe! ensurcs
justice fof farmels, workers
(Comrueo rnom Pree 1)
explains. "When they get hired, they dont get a con-
tract. Everything's expressed verbally. The farmers
say, 'Youte going to work these days, and youte
going to get this amount.'
"But one month liateryou're working more hor:rs
than they said you were going to work and you're
doing more tasks. There is alevel of intimidation
coming from the farmer that's a barrier to the liberty
of enjoyingtheworkthe
wayftirroluuedone." fThe Minneapolis-based
Local Fair Ttade Network
sees a growing market for
produce from fair-minded
farmers like Featherstone,
and last week it launched
the Iocal FairItade food
label, the first of its kind in
the upper Midwest.
While most fair-trade
foods-coffee, bananas,
The,hsim
. Ulhd:,Lqcd kir
Tra e,Iahel
.ll9l!w:,S€[Er4
99pp,21L1.E.
fufllcHn Ave.,
M!nneapolis
r Ot&rel nmnv;loeal
F,iftmde;ug,
chocolate - are imported, the new label guarantees
consumers produce grown locally and delivered bya
food system that respects the dignity of farmers, farm
workers and retail workers alike.
_Et-.yt"ry depends on cooperation, according
to LFTN President Erik Esse. "What we are doing is-
ryor$ngwith farmers to get as much as they can to
the farmworkers and encouragingttrem tobe open
with the farm workers about their-financial situa:tion,
so thatwhen theirfinancial situation does improve,
the farm workels situation imprpves as well."
The system also depends on consirmers'willing-
ness to pay more for produce harvested and market-
ed justly. But with organic foods popping up in stores
likeWal-Mart, Esse sees reason to believe there's a
market for local fair trade.
The marketforfair-trade and organic foods, he
says, "is just hurdling along." Organics have grown at
an annual rate of20 percent for the past 10 yeqrs,
while fair-trade products have grolvn at 50 percent.
"If you asked people 20 years ago, 'Will a signifi-
cant number of people pay significantlymore for
their produce because it's organic?' you might have
seen some skepticism," Esse says. "But obvioustyttrat
has taken place."
The newlocal FairTtade label is in the pilot stage
of development. Four Minnesota farms and two co-
op grocers will participate this summer, abiding by
"social justicd' standards developed over four years
by the Agricultural Iustice Project, with input from
organizations like Centro Campesino.
Among the issues the AIP standards address are
workers'rights to freedom of association and collec-
tive bargaining fairwages and benefits, workplace
health and safetyand farmworker housing.
As the pilot project progresses, organizers like
Esse will monitor consumer response to LFT-labeled
products. Esse larows education will be key.
'A lot of people know that farming is a hard job to
dq and they lcrow on some level that fdrm workers
are underpaid, but sometimes I dont think they real-
lyknowhowbad it is," he says. "The picnue of a
happy, smiling farmer on a wall can create a powerfrrl
impression.
It's not all smiles and handshakes on Featherstone
Farms, butBustos says it's abettermodel. "The farm
worker group and the farmer, I think they really
understand each othe/s position, and they.under-
stand hovrr they depend on each ottrer."
#o
I
z
I
lrr
a
o
o
(,
0)
(o
o
F]
t+4
o
0F}
FFU
ld
-l.+',)Ho
;a
xrJ
k
5os)
6
ao
=.o
o
3o
o
3
E
s
3oo
(,
o
o
U
*o
o
J
5'
n
o
,s
o.
C)
=oU
no
oo
5
o6
D
n
$)
N'
!,,
N
oo_.1