In January 2012, Equal Exchange launched an online campaign to “ask companies, organizations and consumers to choose authentic, small farmer-centered Fair Trade.” The online campaign has received over 2300 public supporters as of February 14, 2012.
The campaign states that “It is time to reaffirm our commitment to the authentic Fair Trade movement that we have collectively built for 25 years in which small farmer co-operatives play a central and vital role. The corporate, plantation model put forth by TransFair/Fair Trade USA is not Fair Trade.”
The campaign is in part a response to the major event from fall 2011, when Fair Trade USA announced it was splitting from Fair Trade International (FLO), and beginning to allow hired labor plantations and independent farmers (not organized into coops) into its Fair Trade Certified system in products like coffee, cocoa and more. Fair Trade USA has posted a list of public supporters for its new plan, Fair Trade for All, on the Fair Trade for All “Call to Action” page.
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