2009: A Year of Challenge and a Year of Hope

We should not forget that crisis comes most quickly when the house is made of cards. But when the foundation is strong… it will withstand some pretty heavy winds. As we look back on our accomplishments and the accomplishments of our producer partners – our Fair Trade future suddenly looks quite bright.

Amidst talk of recession, several of our roaster members are hitting record sales and Cooperative Coffees continues to show strong signs of steady growth. Clearly, the Fair Trade commitment of our collective network of coffee clientele goes beyond a simple marketing scheme. And of course, that growth in sales directly reflects the increasing quantity and quality of contracts we are able to offer our producer partners.

Just back from Ethiopia, we witnessed the profound impact that direct sales for OROMIA Union farmers have had on the countryside. Only 10 years prior, OROMIA General Manager Tadesse Meskela was searching for a plan to help Ethiopian farmers organize. How many times during our travels together did we hear Tadesse tell the story about how Bill Harris and TJ Semanchin took him aside at a 1999 Long Beach SCAA and gave him some advice (when everyone else told him he was crazy to think he could buck the coffee system in Ethiopia!). 

Today, OROMIA is comprised of 145 cooperative organizations – representing more than 130,000 members – with US$14 million in sales! In addition, the establishment of the OROMIA cooperative bank and the construction of their own dry processing plant are transforming the future for their farmers.

Earlier this year, we visited Maya Vinic  – just as they were unpacking an electronic eye – the final touch to getting full processing, selection and quality control systems under their own roof. This is all the more remarkable, recalling that only a short eight years ago, many Maya Vinic members were still living as internal refugees - having fled the para-military violence that claimed the lives of 45 of their family members.

We could go on and on with success stories.

So, 2009 promises to be a challenging year? Bring it on! We look forward to facing the unexpected with the creativity and tenacity that comes with a cooperative filled with such diverse and open-minded thinkers!

We say, the current economic situation is only further proof of how important it is to explore alternatives to the conventional form of capitalism. When a market is dependent solely on speculation and empty of any kind of personal commitment or trust, its actors are free to resort to whatever serves his/her own personal interests. In the world of coffee, the obvious result has been that as speculation dollars are withdrawn, the international coffee price falls, and farmers (not organized or operating under a Fair Trade system) are feeling the impact where they live. More than ever, the buffer provided by the Fair Trade minimum as well as the direct connection between the buyer and producer are crucial. And while providing the premium will undoubtedly put pressure on Fair Trade businesses here in the North, the decision to carry forth the principles of Fair Trade, even in these economically challenging times, means resisting the trends of the conventional markets.

The roaster-members at Coop Coffees continue to show a steadfast commitment both to the cause of Fair Trade as well as to the producer coops. The farmers, who are in perhaps the most vulnerable position of anyone, have also put forth their trust and they expect 2009 to be a productive year. It is precisely this kind of commitment that will carry us all through these tough times…and beyond. As the saying goes, “when the going gets tough… the tough go shopping – Fair Trade (of course!).”

Thank you to everyone – roasters, farmers, supporters, allies – who has made this past year and particularly, these last few months, an incredible testament to the power and effectiveness of the Fair Trade movement. We look forward to welcoming in with you a “challenging but hopeful” 2009!

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