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Thu, Jan 3, 2019 - 12:35pm

The Pasture Ahead: A Path to Organizing

Frankie Pondolph
January 3, 2019
Tagged: 
co-ops
fair foods
fair trade
food system

Being new at Equal Exchange has been like returning to school. I am constantly learning the intricacies of building supply chains that support producers beyond what a “fair-trade” label could mean. What drew me to Equal Exchange was their unconventional worker-owned cooperative model, and the farmer partners who are supported to stay on their land and to have more bargaining power as small farmers collectively. Working in small-scale agriculture in the U.S. has exposed me to the realities and obstacles around land tenure, access, and security that prevent a lot of people from entering into agriculture and also staying in it.

Thu, Nov 8, 2018 - 12:28pm

Alien Fruits and Co-ops in Cahoots

Frankie Pondolph
November 8, 2018
Tagged: 
fair trade
food system

Have you ever seen a cacao pod? In the wild or on the farm, it awkwardly hangs from the trunk and branches of the Theobroma cacao tree. An alien fruit of seemingly endless variety —shaped like a papaya, hard like an acorn squash and often ridged like one, too. It comes in reds, browns, golds, purples, sometimes different varieties growing right alongside one another. Cutting one open reveals a world no less strange than the exterior—filmy, gooey white membrane enrobes brown and purple beans that are about the size of large grapes. The aroma from the interior is alluring, though: citric and bold, floral and sweet, even woodsy and minerally, depending on the variety of pod you’re sniffing

Thu, Nov 1, 2018 - 8:36am

OF CARAVANS, STATE TERROR AND CLIMATE DISRUPTION

Rob Everts
November 1, 2018
Tagged: 
environment
fair trade
food system

November 16th marks the 29th anniversary of the slaying of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter by government-run death squads in El Salvador in 1989. This past October 14th, slain Salvadoran archbishop Oscar Romero was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.The murders of these priests—and of 80,000 more whose names we’ll never know—were carried out in no small part with the support of billions of dollars in U.S. funding and training of corrupt governments in El Salvador. The victims were largely peasants and workers organizing for their rights and a better life.

Mon, Oct 8, 2018 - 6:05pm

Cooperative Bananas, In Dollars and Cents

Frankie Pondolph
October 8, 2018
Tagged: 
bananas
fair foods
fair trade

When you purchase a conventional banana at a grocery store, there are certain costs that your everyday low price covers: the fruit itself; the international shipping costs; the trucking from the warehouse to the grocery stores. These costs are internalized, meaning they’re accounted for in the final price you pay.

Mon, Mar 26, 2018 - 10:58am

A visit to Cooperativa Zacarias Padilla

Frankie Pondolph
March 26, 2018
Tagged: 
co-ops
coffee
fair trade
food system

On Wednesday, February 13, a delegation from Equal Exchange and the Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice (UUCSJ) arrived at Cooperativa Zacarias Padilla in the coffee-growing village of Quibuto in the mountains of northern Nicaragua.The Zacarias Padilla cooperative, founded in 1992, has 61 members: 18 women and 43 men. It's a "primary-level" co-op; members market their coffee through the secondary-level PRODECOOP, which serves as processor and exporter for small-farmer groups.

Tue, Jan 2, 2018 - 11:09am

Cozy Up: Book and Film Picks for the New Year

Ashley Symons
January 2, 2018
Tagged: 
co-ops
environment
fair foods
fair trade
food system

With the start of a new year often comes reflection and resolution: eat healthier, save money, cook more. It's also really cold and dark in much of the country, which can mean increased time spent indoors. In this spirit, we'd thought we'd share some film and book recommendations from our Action Forum community.

Mon, Dec 11, 2017 - 3:28pm

Creating Space for Farmers in the Craft Chocolate Movement

Laura Bechard
December 11, 2017
Tagged: 
chocolate
co-ops
fair trade

As rain drizzled down from slate grey skies, thousands of visitors took refuge inside Smith Cove at Pier 91 to attend the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle. The festival has been a staple of the city’s events scene since 2008. This year, the chocolate team at Equal Exchange participated in the festival workshops and unconference from Nov. 9-12.

Mon, Dec 4, 2017 - 1:46pm

Eat, Drink and Be Mindful

Ashley Symons
December 4, 2017
Tagged: 
environment
fair trade
food system
gift ideas

The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes a wave of consumption. We’re surrounded by food, drinks, gifts, travel - things that can add up to an increased carbon footprint. So, what can we do to be more sustainable during the holidays and even to use our purchasing power for good? Here are some tips to help us be conscious consumers during this busy holiday season:

Tue, Nov 7, 2017 - 2:03pm

My Month in Ecuador

Ravdeep Jaidka
November 7, 2017
Tagged: 
bananas
co-ops
fair trade

As the banana buyer for Equal Exchange, this September, I got the opportunity to work and live alongside Guabo, a small farmer banana co-operative in southern Ecuador. Guabo is Equal Exchange’s longest banana partner; the two organizations have worked together for over 10 years to bring Fair Trade, organic bananas from small-scale growers to the U.S. marketplace.

Tue, Oct 31, 2017 - 10:33am

What's Behind Your Halloween Chocolate?

Ashley Symons
October 31, 2017
Tagged: 
fair trade
food system

Happy Halloween! This year, it's expected that Halloween candy sales will reach a record $2.75 billion in retail sales.​ According to the National Confectioners Association, Halloween is the biggest holiday for seasonal candy sales, accounting for about 34 percent of seasonal candy sales (outnumbering Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day). And, i​f you took all the candy that’s sold during Halloween week​, it would equal about 300,000 tons or two pounds of candy per American!

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