I have been enjoying this fair trade blog by Zarah Patriana, at Change.org for months. She provides insights and links to fair trade happenings, especially in the United States.

Zarah is the Operations Manager for the Global Exchange Fair Trade Online Store, a project of the international human rights organization, Global Exchange. Alongside her work with marginalized communities from all over the world to get their products into the international market, Zarah serves to educate and inform the public about a more just and sustainable trading system.

Here is part of the blog post, that made me realize how remiss I have been in keeping up with fair trade news:

The Fair Trade world is getting rocked with big news left and right. Last week, Cadbury in the UK announced their commitment to Fair Trade cocoa in their Dairy Milk and now TransFair USA has announced an increase in their Fair Trade Certified product offerings. According to them, TFUSA is offering Fair Trade Certification on all the products that FLO currently has standards for. If a product you see in the UK has a Fairtrade Mark, you will now also be able to see that black and white TransFair label on it. That means fruit juices, nuts, spices, herbs, avocadoes (!!), dried fruit, potatoes, soybeans and more. Basically, my kitchen is about to get hooked up. Fair Trade style....

This announcement from TransFair USA is particularly HUGE because it is such a dramatic expansion of the Fair Trade Certified label in the U.S. The UK and Europe have been a front-runner in the mass offering of products with the Fair Trade label on them, with the U.S. paling in comparison.

What matters most is the fact that the market for Fair Trade products has broadened, providing nothing but opportunity for small-scale farmers everywhere. Americans did spend $1 billion of Fair Trade Certified products in 2007 alone, so it looks like U.S. consumers are ready and willing to buy Fair Trade. It is up to the rest of the Fair Trade movement to step up education efforts and continue to inform consumers about Fair and alternative trade to prove that voting with your dollar can make a difference. An increase in demand for the Fair Trade means that these farmers will continue to benefit and continue to sustain themselves and the planet. It also means an increase in the Fair Trade products I can use to bake, cook and prepare meals. A full Fair Trade meal? I am all in.

Thanks for your great work Zahra!

The one feedback point that I would offer is that information / discussion about the IMO Fair For Life standards would be interesting.

List of the new Transfair USA products. More fair trade products coming to Canada?

---