FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fair Trade Certifiers and Stakeholder
Groups Sign Agreement to Work Toward Collaboration and Accountability in
Domestic Fair Trade
Boston, MA,
February 1, 2011 The Domestic Fair Trade Association announced today that
organizations engaged in fair trade and social justice standard-setting and
certification have signed an agreement to work cooperatively and with a shared
understanding and common vision for building a movement for socially just
agriculture.
Recognizing that
fair trade and social justice claims and programs are proliferating in the
marketplace, increasing the potential for confusion in the public sphere about
the similarities and differences among claims, a number of certifiers and
stakeholders have been engaged in dialogue to discuss certification and
standards for domestic fair trade. This agreement, called the Boston Accord,
has come out of this dialogue and is a commitment to continue to work together,
transparently share program information, and work towards establishing a code
of conduct for legitimate fair trade organizations.
The Accord was
signed by the Institute for Marketecology and Agricultural Justice Project
partners El Comit de Apoyo a Los Trabajadores Agricolas (CATA), Rural
Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA), Northeast Organic Farming
Association (NOFA) CT, NH, NJ, NY, RI, and VT chapters, and Florida Organic
Growers.
Showing their
support for this important process, a number of stakeholders from across the
food and agriculture system also signed the Accord including Berkshire
Co-operative Market, Centro Campesino, Community to Community Development, Dr.
Bronner s Magic Soaps, Equal Exchange, fairDeal Value Chain Non-profit, Fair
World Project, Farmer Direct Co-operative, Midwest
Organic Services Association (MOSA), Once Again Nut Butter, Organic Valley,
and Willamette Seed and Grain.
This is an open and
transparent process. To become involved in the dialogue, read the full Accord,
or request more information, contact DFTA:
Kerstin Lindgren
617-680-9862
The
Domestic Fair Trade Association (DFTA) is an association of farmers,
farmworkers, food workers, retailers, marketers, processors, manufacturers, and
NGOs with the mission to promote and protect the integrity of Domestic Fair
Trade principles through education, marketing, advocacy and endorsement.