I just wanted to clarify a few key points in the Free Press article about the Fair Trade Coalition (“BU Students join fight for Fair Trade coffee” March 22). The Daily Free Press stated that “Green Mountain coffee and Java City have already made a pact to supply Fair Trade Coffee on [BU] campus.” This statement is untrue.
Last Monday, a meeting was held with Steve Canario (NOT Canardo) of Boston University Dining Services. Dining Services is currently researching their Fair Trade options on campus, but no deals have yet been made. We will be having future meetings with Mr. Canario. But we will NOT be meeting with a representative from Starbucks. That information was false.
This brings up another point. While we are in no way protesting any of the current coffee companies on campus and were not a part of the March 20 action against the Starbucks corporation as would be implied by the picture above the article, we are also in no way advocates of Starbucks, Green Mountain or Java City. We support the global fair trade movement and recognize coffee retailers’ role in this. We are working with these three coffee companies because of their presence at BU, but we are certainly not advocating any one of them.
It is also a broad and untrue generalization that “Fair Trade Coffee farmers … have a more intimate relationship with the coffee corporations themselves.”
This intimate relationship is true with conscientious companies, such as Equal Exchange and the Thanksgiving Coffee Company, who carry 100 percent fair trade products and who have dedicated their businesses to social and environmental justice. This unfortunately can not yet be said for Starbucks, Green Mountain Coffee or Java City, though we applaud and recognize their moves toward more social and environmentally conscious practices.
The Daily Free Press also reported that “corporations discourage farmers from using harmful pesticides and encourage them to seek other alternatives.” While we would hope for this to be true, we can only be certain of this if a coffee is certified organic as well as fair trade, and many companies do carry organic and fair trade certified brands.
Finally, while Starbucks Fair Trade Coffee will go up one or two cents per cup at BU, this is in no way the norm, and coffee prices may rise or decrease differently according to a particular coffee company, its quality, market prices and the coffee’s country origins.
These clarifications may seem small, but they are in fact very important and sensitive distinctions to make.
Shayna Harris CAS ’03 BU Fair Trade Coalition
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