Domestic Fair Trade Association

Resolution on 2012: The International Year of Co-operatives

Whereas,      The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 64/136 on Co-operatives in Social Development proclaims the year 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives;

Whereas,      The theme of the International Year is Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World;

Whereas,      The Resolution recognizes that co-operatives “in their various forms, promote the fullest possible participation in the economic and social development of all people, including women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, [and] are becoming a major factor of economic and social development and contribute to the eradication of poverty”;

Whereas,      The Resolution encourages all relevant stakeholders to take advantage of the International Year to promote co-ops, to raise public awareness of the contribution of co-operative enterprise to social and economic development and to promote the formation and growth of co-ops;

Whereas,       The co-operative business model has empowered people around the world to improve their lives and communities through member owned enterprise, economic development and social progress;

Whereas,      Millions of co-operatives operate in every nation of the world, owned and governed by more than 1 billion members and employing 100 million people worldwide;

Whereas,      Co-ops operate across the economy, finding a broad range of expression in areas including food, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, employment, finance, insurance, housing, healthcare and the arts;

Whereas,      A majority of the 2 million farmers in the United States are members of about 3,000 agricultural co-ops, helping them to sustain their farms, livelihoods and communities;

Whereas,      Co-operatives play a particularly important role in the food system, and have the potential to empower producers, workers and consumers to bring about positive change in the way food is grown, harvested, processed and distributed; and

Whereas,      The Co-operative values and principles have much in common with those of Fair Trade, and co-ops and their members have played a key role in the development of the movement on the international and domestic levels.  Now, therefore, be it

Resolved,       That the Domestic Fair Trade Association commits to

1. Join with its co-operative members, other co-ops and co-operative associations in supporting and celebrating the year 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives;
2. Recognize and promote the vital role of co-ops in the food system and in the economic and social well-being of communities from the global level to the local;
3. Encourage stakeholders in the food system to consider how the values and principles of the co-operative movement relate to those of Fair Trade and can contribute to health, justice and sustainability; and
4. Celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives by engaging in efforts to raise the profile of co-operative enterprises, to demonstrate the benefits of co-ops in building ownership and wealth, and to apply the co-operative model to new challenges and opportunities in our communities.

Be It Further Resolved,

That the Domestic Fair Trade Association will distribute this resolution among its members, policy makers, food system activists, community development organizations, and the press.

Adopted by the Domestic Fair Trade Association Members on December 8, 2011