In July, 2006, Equal Exchange celebrated our 20th anniversary. Here to commemorate the occasion with us were 25 representatives from coffee, tea, cocoa, and sugar small farmer cooperatives from 19 different countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. They were joined by hundreds of Fair Trade leaders, interfaith partners, store and café managers, investors, and Equal Exchange worker-owners who came to participate in the two day event. Click on the Play button below to watch a short video about the events.

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Stakeholder Summit

On Friday, July 14, 2006, during the first day of the celebration, we held a Stakeholder Summit, a one-day conference, in which we addressed some difficult questions including: "How do we build small scale farmer solidarity?" and, "As participants in the Fair Trade movement, how do we measure success?" Leaders from farmer co-ops shared their personal and organizational experiences with the other participants in order to better get at the "heart" of Fair Trade. Through collective, firsthand, and sometimes opposing viewpoints, we heard a range of stories that are helping us to create a foundation of information and experience that will help us forge paths into the future.

Highlights from the Workshops

TRACK 1 - Small Farmer Solidarity

WORKSHOP - Problems for Small Scale Producers

• Lack of access to the international market and the need for the expansion of that market
• Need for capacity building to strengthen the co-ops e.g. financial training
• Restrictive government policies e.g. land ownership, banking regulations, export/tax policies, infrastructure to support small farmers
• Insufficient price reward for quality

• Traders: Need to have an agreed upon agenda on how to best support producers
• Producers: Need meaningful participation in FLO Governance
• Movement Groups: Need to advocate directly to FLO about producers’ concerns

• Create an alternative leadership structure to TFUSA/FLO to rediscover the roots of Fair Trade
• Strengthen relationships throughout the supply chain, not only link to link, but throughout it
• Provide a place for issues of race, gender & power to be discussed

• Increase cooperative ownership, creating models of co-ownership for the whole Fair Trade supply chain from producer to consumer
• Have aggressive education and promotion of the co-op difference at the heart of Fair Trade
• Mobilize the global co-op community as advocates for the small producer

• Is all Fair Trade equal? No. Some Fair Trade volume is more valuable. Some results in more engaged consumers, stronger standards, and more capable producers
• Large public corporations should follow standards, and the standards should be set by Fair Trade organizations. Public corporations should meet minimum volumes (e.g. 5%) and do more consumer education.
• Fair Trade success is not measured by volume but by stronger producer organizations and educated consumers.

1. Mutual Learning – e.g. traders and producers should know each others’ measures of success
2. Economic Stability – e.g. success of traders and retailers are linked to the success of primary level co-ops
3. Collaborative Problem Solving - e.g. face to face meetings between producers & buyers on tough & complex questions

• Fair Trade Activists will buy 3x more than they already do
• Have Fair Trade Households
• Establish Fair Trade neighborhoods where Fair Trade businesses & households cluster together, support each other and strengthen the ties between shoppers & producers

Ways to Celebrate with Equal Exchange

1. Use Equal Exchange products as a fundraiser. Our Fair Trade fundraising program has a full line of your favorite products including our decadent new chocolates, and our most popular organic coffees, teas and cocoas. Now you can support your favorite school group or organization while building small-scale farming communities across the globe.
   
   
2. Get your congregation or religious organization involved. See the Interfaith Program section for more information.
   
   
3. Help spread the word with a 20th T-Shirt. Limited edition Equal Exchange 20th Anniversary Men's, Women's, and Children's 100% Organic Cotton T-Shirts are available at the Equal Exchange Retail Store.
   
   
4. Host an Equal Exchange House Party. Equal Exchange has a House Party Kit, offering opportunities for more conversation about Fair Trade, while you gather, sip and relax. Show a brief video about coffee and how shoppers can make a difference for small-scale farmers. Watch, savor the coffee, and discuss what we can do.