Fair Trade Coffee
By Lindsay Welbers
IV Leader Staff
Students in Free Enterprise presented students and faculty
with the opportunity to help impoverished coffee farmers in developing nations
on January 26 by presenting Fair Trade Coffees for sale.
Those who attended were given a presentation by Wayne Kaufman
and Chris Reed explaining the history of coffee and the current state of coffee
farmers and the countries from which it comes. Afterwards attendees were given
the opportunity to purchase coffee, tea, and chocolate bars purchased from Fair
Trade Federation (FTF).
Kaufman explained that SIFE chose this as their international project. Kaufman
explained that this was chosen because they wanted to get the community
involved. “It is a good cause, trying to raise the economic status of poor
coffee farmers,” Kaufman explained.
FTF guarantees farmers at least $1.26 to $1.41 per pound.
This guarantees them what is considered to be a living wage.
According to information presented farmers receive between 12
and 25 cents per pound for the coffee they sell, and the coffee is then sold for
between $4 and $11 per pound. This can leave many families in desperate poverty
because one coffee tree will yield less than 1 pound per year.
Coffee is grown in mostly developing nations because of their
warm climate and high altitude, although these locations are prone to drought
which can impair the crop yield.
Coffee beans need to be picked by hand which makes them
difficult to harvest, and presents the need for several passes on the same tree.
According to information presented, coffee prices have fallen
sharply in the past four years and are hovering above a 30 year low.
Because of falling coffee prices and larger corporations
purchasing the bulk of the market an estimated 25 million coffee farmers and
their families are facing starvation.
The export market for coffee is increasing very steadily and
coffee is now believed to be the second most traded commodity after oil.
SIFE holds many projects associated with the community
throughout the year. They had a project called Cookies in a Jar in which they
helped 4th grade students learn about running their own business by selling jars
of cookies with the profits going back to their school.
They have also done work with Freedom House, LaSalle-Peru
Township High School, and Bureau Valley schools teaching people about financial
responsibility.