 |
New Licensing Partners
|
We welcome Angius Organics, based in Clearwater Florida. Originally established in south of England in 1997, then in the United States in 2004, Angius Organics quickly became the first producer of Organic Certified Candied and Crystallized Ginger. They also specialize in organic food ingredients for bakers, candy makers and private retailing. Today Angius makes food ingredients for the biggest organic brands in both the European and American markets.
|
We welcome
Global Brand Resources (GBR), Mumbai, India, an emerging manufacturer, producer and exporter of organic food, primarily spices, seasonings, tea and syrup. GBR is committed to a high standard of processing food along with eco-friendly and sustainable practice of harvesting and packaging. GBR owns the brand Lunn Salt, which is specifically certified under the FairTSA Fair Trade Program.
|
We also welcome
Coconut Business GmbH (CCB) of Wertingen, Germany as a new licensee. CCB are organic coconut experts since 2004 and supply the processing industry and retail trade with a wide range of products from the coconut pulp and the coconut blossom sap. They offer their organic and Fair Trade products in bulk and private label or under their own brand Tropicai.
|
|
Our Newest Cooperating Certifier
|
We welcome Aditi Organic Certifications as our newest cooperating certifier. As a leading certification agency in India with a wide portfolio of certification services, we are confident the addition of Aditi will be a valuable contribution to our existing group of certifiers and enhance our global presence. This addition emphasizes our efforts of establishing FairTSA as one of the preeminent Fair Trade certification programs on a world-wide scale.
|
|
Quick Links to Cooperating Certifiers
|
|
Share with Your Colleagues
|
|
|
|
|
Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance
collaborative excellence and accountability
|
|
|
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
As we mature as an organization, we realize that our biggest challenge is to support our certified farmers, cooperatives and processing facilities in such a way where they are able to consistently comply with our standard requirements and have the necessary input to successfully carry out their community projects.
Therefore, we are continuously improving our support options, from free producer seminars in English and Spanish, to providing simple support materials and planning tools such as a community development plan and other
documents available on our website
.
Ongoing support by our Producer Relations Manager is also an important piece of the puzzle. By focusing our services on this support we are sure to serve our mission to improve the living conditions of rural communities to the best of our ability.
For the FairTSA Team
Winfried Fuchshofen
|
|
BIOFACH 2016
|
|
 |
|
Biofach was once again very busy and an extremely promising venue for FairTSA. One main goal was to have meetings with participating certifiers to develop strategies to increase visibility and improve the staff knowledge of our Fair Trade program. These meetings turned out to be very successful and a number of action items were agreed upon. Certifiers we met with are: Agreco, Biocert India/International, CERES, Control Union, and Kiwa BCS.
|
|
|
Meetings with Cooperating Certifiers
|
We accomplished our second goal through productive meetings with our existing producers and licensees to discuss current and new projects.
In addition, we had our small annual stakeholder meeting where we invite everyone interested in FairTSA to give them an overview of new developments and where they have the opportunity to comment, make suggestions, and basically have a good time.
We also met several new producers and licensees who are very interested in working with us in the future. The concept of project-based accountability and transparency for all premiums and the documentation of community development projects were received very well. We are currently preparing to have at least 20 new producers certified in the coming months, and are negotiating licensing agreements with a number of new prospects.
In summary we had a very busy, enjoyable and successful Biofach 2016, and we are looking forward to participating in 2017.
|
|
|
CEDAC Fair Trade
Community Development Progress
|
|
|
The Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC) is a non-profit organization, which supports several FairTSA Fair Trade certified Cambodian cooperatives that farm rice in the provinces of Takeo, Kampong Chhnang, and Kampong Speu. Rice farmers make up about 60 percent of Cambodia's population. Many rice farmers are living in poverty due to their small land holdings and low production efficiency, relying on costly external inputs such as improved rice varieties, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides. CEDAC has been fostering the education and organization of rural farmers in sustainable agriculture for over 15 years, emphasizing viable practices and the utilization of resources which they either already have access to or can create themselves.
 |
|
|
2015 FairTSA Community Development Meeting
|
Through the Community Development projects integral to the FairTSA Fair Trade certification, CEDAC has been providing informational workshops with the local Cambodian farmers to further their agricultural knowledge, which in turn strengthens their income and standard of living. These workshops empower locals and promote community through education and organization in villages.
One of the core points of the development workshops is promoting self-sustainable organic agriculture through the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). SRI is a rice production method which helps minimize water input and unnecessary resources favored by chemical industrial processes. The objective of SRI is to create ideal conditions for growth of the rice plant's roots, which ultimately increases production of rice grains. SRI has enabled low income farmers to double their yields using up to 90% less seed and 50% less water - with no agrochemicals. As a side effect, methane gas from rice production is also considerably lower due to less anaerobic soil conditions - an important effect, as methane is a very potent greenhouse gas.
|
|
|
|
Rice Harvest
|
|
The positive effects of the SRI method are far reaching, and from the testimonies of locals the health benefits of SRI farming are easily apparent. SRI methods have been successfully integrated to several hundred thousand Cambodian households which adds up to over 1 million people.
Prices for non-organic non Fair Trade rice are also considerably lower, with local merchants paying 1,200 riel (approximately 30 cents USD) per kilo for conventional rice. CEDAC buys organic paddy rice at 1,600 riel (40 cents USD) per kilo, an increase of more than 30%. They can do this as FairTSA has helped mediate a minimum price for CEDAC rice that is considerably higher than world market prices. Often producers use the extra income from greater yields and organic and Fair Trade pricing to invest in further business ventures, improve the quality of life at home, and send their children to school.
Beyond shifting the mindset and practices of local farms, CEDAC and the new income brought in by SRI and the FairTSA Social Premium have enabled community development, which help solidify and further the province's aim of becoming more communal, efficient, and self-reliant. In 2015 projects to build community meeting spaces, office space, and restrooms have been completed. There is an additional long-term project in place to complete a community owned rice mill. This rice mill initiative is a large step in self-efficiency as it will cut the expensive costs of paying commercial rice mills. In addition, this central mill will also enable the farmers to save valuable organic husks from the milling process, which can be used to feed animals and produce further compost to benefit the organic plants being grown.
|
|
|
New Community Meeting and Education Center built in 2015
|
There are plans currently underway to dig a communal pond in order
to collect clean water. This will provide a water source for the entire community. Another project planned for this year is to set up a cooperative store in Kampong Speu City, which will provide a forum to sell local organic products such as rice, vegetables, eggs, and meat. All of the products sold will be produced by community members.
Construction for a learning center to be built close to the central rice mill is also in process. This space will house meetings and general assemblies of organic farmers while also serving as a workshop. The pond and co-op store support independence and health, aptly resembling the growing and Fair Trade
practices put into effect by CEDAC.
Education centers and meeting spaces are subverting standards of chemical and industrial dependence, bringing knowledge and bounty to the farmers as they embrace intentional methodologies in their communities and take steps to self-empowerment and better health. This shift away from dependence is producing capital and self-confidence through existing resources, and this change has the promise to resonate through future generations to come.
|
|
Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance PO Box 791 New Lebanon, NY 12125 518-794-0286 [email protected] http://fairtsa.org |
|
|
