Table Of Content

I F a i r T r a d e Newsletter of Fair Trade for a Greater Orlando Coalition (FTGOC) Vol. 1, Issue 1 Winter 2007 movement they are able to amplify year and a half ago. We seek to Introduction what they can accomplish as strengthen the individual efforts of separate individuals. While there Fair Trade supporters by building a Welcome to the first issue of I Fair have been many individuals and broad based movement that will Trade, the newsletter of Fair Trade for groups buying Fair Trade products empower the participants and a Greater Orlando Coalition. As the title suggests, this newsletter is about in the Greater Orlando area, until engage the public to understand FTGOC, its goals and activities, as May 2006 there had not been a and support Fair Trade as well as the ultimate aim of the Fair Fair Trade movement in the individuals and as collective Trade movement: achieving a decent region. Support for Fair Trade in owners of the cities and campuses standard of living for working people our community is growing at a in the Greater Orlando area. To throughout the world. In these few rapid pace, and it is time to reach this effect FTGOC has participated pages you will find information about even further in creating awareness in and sponsored many community upcoming and past events, social and and demand for this ethical and events such as the first and second political developments relevant to Fair attainable way of doing business annual World Fair Trade Day Trade, and features on businesses, with producers in other countries. Celebration in Orlando observed organizations and individuals who are Furthermore, our public on the second Saturday of May. furthering the goals of the movement. We hope you find this information institutions, such as city FTGOC has also built a coalition helpful and that you are inspired to governments and college of over a dozen local organizations make a difference, Fair Trade-style. campuses, have yet to internalize supporting our cause while Fair Trade as a value in their working to create dialogue with FTGOC Progress Report purchasing policies. When elected officials. In only a year and American cultural anthropologist governments fail to implement a half FTGOC has come a long Margaret Meade famously directed policies that reflect the values of way in educating and engaging the us to “never doubt that a small the public, these governments public, but we have a lot more group of thoughtful, committed cease functioning democratically work to do! To reach our goals, we citizens can change the world; and lose their raison d’etre. need more wonderful people indeed, it's the only thing that ever devoting their time, vision, and has.” With this understanding we creativity to the Fair Trade realize that while individual movement. Ask how you can get actions are important, when like involved with FTGOC today. – minded people combine their Scott Tess. abilities and capacities in a Fair Trade and the U.S.- Peru FTA Contents In early November, Congress Making Fair Trade universally voted in favor of the U.S.-Peru Introduction …………………...1 understood and widely available as FreeTrade Agreement, preparing FTGOC Progress Report ……...1 well as establishing Fair Trade the way for a vote in the Senate by Fair Trade and the U.S.-Peru purchasing policies for year’s end. Similar to the North “Free Trade Agreement”………1 municipalities and campuses in the American Free Trade Agreement That's Fair!.................................2 Greater Orlando area is why Fair (NAFTA) and its Central About FTGOC………………....2 Trade for a Greater Orlando American counterpart (CAFTA), Get Involved...............................2 Coalition (FTGOC) was created a the Peru FTA seeks to eliminate Contact FTGOC……………….2 tariffs and other barriers to goods current form provides scant support of this goal, FTGOC also and services, promote economic assurance that these terms will be seeks to: growth, and expand trade between upheld, or even enforced. 1) Educate the community about the Peru and the United States. While As an organization that works Fair Trade alternative, this agreement will greatly benefit toward the implementation of Fair 2) Expand the market for Fair Trade large agribusiness interests in both Trade policies, FTGOC joins the products, and countries, it will have possibly broad coalition of Fair Trade and devastating consequences for small labor groups in the United States 3) Build a strong coalition of Peruvian farmers. By removing and Peru in opposition to the Peru community groups supporting Fair Trade. tariffs on commodities entering Free Trade Agreement. With a Peru, the Peru FTA will force vote on the agreement coming up small farmers in that country to in the Senate later this year, the Get Involved... compete with heavily subsidized time left for action is limited. We Start small! Next time you need to imports from the U.S., in turn urge you to contact your Senator make a purchase, whether it be coffee, pushing down prices and forcing and tell them why the Peru FTA is clothing or home furnishings, buy Fair small farmers out of business. In a bad idea. To find out who your Trade! Look for the fact, this has already happened in Senator is, visit www.congress.org Fair Trade Certified™ Mexico because of NAFTA. Small and enter your zip code under “My label. There are farmers in the U.S. will not stand Elected Officials”. numerous vendors online and in business to benefit much from the Peru FTA – Brian Salmons. locally here in Greater either, having already been Orlando that sell Fair Trade products. marginalized by large agribusiness That's Fair! If your local grocery store does not corporations domestically. As with One church in Tacoma, stock fair trade products, tell them you previous Free Trade Agreements, Washington has opened a new want to buy these items. Send a letter, this newest one is premised on the mission outpost for the gospel of an email or an Action Card: assumption of symmetric market fair trade. Speaking of the Fair www.geocities.com/ftgoc/FTGOC_ac knowledge and access and it will Trade movement, Susan Dobkins tion_cards.pdf. benefit only those with enough (of the Micah Project, a peace and If you would like to volunteer with money to survive the sudden justice outreach program of the FTGOC please contact us… changes in commodity prices. Tacoma United Methodist Small Peruvian farmers do not Church), says “it’s a model of Contact FTGOC possess these resources. Yet they global trade which takes into Scott Tess ([email protected]) account that profit can’t be our only motivation". To see how a Brian Salmons ([email protected]) little effort makes a big difference Crystal Curran ([email protected]) in people's lives, watch this short Mailing address: video at the UMC website… 300 E. South St., #3011 (archives.umc.org/interior.asp?ptid Orlando, FL 32801 =1&mid=10674) ...and read this story... Websites: (dwb.thenewstribune.com/business www.ftgoc.org rely on access to this market to /story/5377582p-4863276c.html). www.myspace.com/fairtradegreaterorlando provide a livelihood for their families. In spite of unique About FTGOC provisions requiring the adoption "No business which depends for existence Our main goal is to work with the on paying less than living wages to its and enforcement of the terms of City of Orlando to pass a Fair Trade workers has any right to continue in this the ILO (International Labor Resolution. This would mean that country...and by living wages I mean Organization) Declaration on whenever the City Departments buy more than a bare subsistence level --I Fundamental Principles and Rights coffee, for example, they would mean the wages of decent living."- at Work, the Peru FTA in its choose the Fair Trade alternative. In Franklin D. Roosevelt, June 16, 1933.