Join the DFTA
Membership in DFTA is by application. Farmworker, farmer, retail, manufacturing, processing, marketing, and NGO organizations are invited to apply for membership if they are committed to the principles of domestic fair trade.
While the Principles for Domestic Fair Trade provide a basic philosophy and guide for member organizations, we also need a system of verification of organizational commitment to the principles not just in word but also in practice. This will ensure that the organizations involved in the Association share a common commitment to the Principles as well as to ongoing improvement in their implementation. Our goal is to create a system that has integrity while also being practical. In a manner similar to the membership processes of other Fair Trade associations, this system provides for self-assessment, peer review, and ongoing improvement goals.
Member verification will also help build trust in the concept of Domestic Fair Trade. Already we see so much excitement about this idea that businesses are using it to promote products with little awareness of the history, goals, or principles of Fair Trade. There is a very real risk that Domestic Fair Trade will become meaningless to consumers and other stakeholders if we are not vigilant in asserting the broader goals and priorities that underlie the Fair Trade Movement. DFTA is creating a structure through which mission-based organizations can engage in dialogue and information sharing around the concepts of Fair Trade, organic agriculture, and farmworker justice. Such a structure will also ensure that our movement is sustainable and has a lasting impact for our communities and for the earth.
If you are interested in joining the DFTA, please email info@thedfta.org.
Benefits of Membership
DFTA is one of the only member-driven coalitions to successfully bring together farmworkers, farmers, businesses, retailers, and social justice NGOs on completely equal footing to advocate for a better food and agriculture system. As a member, you are a leader of and have a voice in the movement. Because we set a high bar for membership and rely on dues for our core budget, we are able to be a truly vision-driven organization. For businesses, joining this movement allows you to differentiate yourselves from other businesses that use jargon without a genuine commitment to domestic fair trade principles.
Other benefits include:
- A vote for the board of directors and on organizational policies
- The opportunity to run for the board of directors (board members must represent a member organization)
- The opportunity to display DFTA membership on your organization’s website and materials to communicate to your constituency that you are formally committed to domestic fair trade
- Help to shape and enjoy the benefits of policy positions, educational campaigns, and additional advocacy designed to protect and promote stakeholders committed to the principles of domestic fair trade
- Participate in a peer review process with fellow DFTA members
- No fee or discounted fee for the DFTA annual meeting, an event for committed stakeholders from across the food and agriculture systems
- Priority travel assistance to the annual meeting, especially for farmers and farmworkers