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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.