Exploring the implications of the Fair Trade USA certification for farm worker health and wellbeing at the first certified farm in the U.S.

Autor: Alissa Bilfield, Edmundo Hernandez
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, Vol 13, Iss 1 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2152-0801
DOI: 10.5304/jafscd.2023.131.019
Popis: Decades of interdisciplinary research suggest that fair trade certification may have significant implica­tions for the development of more equitable and sustainable agricultural practices. The certification was originally established to support smallholder farming cooperatives in developing countries. However, a recent organizational division separat­ing Fairtrade International from Fair Trade USA has created a bifurcation in certification standards.[1] Under the new Fair Trade USA program, the first domestic certification standard for U.S.-based farms is now being implemented. The aim of this study is to understand the impact of the new certi­fication on farm operations and farm worker well­being at the first U.S. fair trade-certified farm, from the perspectives of farm workers, farm man­agement, and the supply chain. The initial findings from this limited exploratory study indicate that the certification can be used as a tool to improve farm worker empowerment while also providing mate­rial benefits and resources. More research is needed to determine the long-term impact and feasibility of more widespread impelementation. 1 For the purpose of this paper, fair trade is used to refer generally to the concept, whereas in the case of specific organizations and/or their certifications, other spelling is used. For example, Fair Trade USA and Fair Trade Certification, versus Fairtrade International and Fairtrade Certification.
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