Episode 159: Fair Trade Coffee with Equal Exchange

How does fair trade works to promote a higher quality coffee? Find out on this week’s episode of The Farm Report as Erin Fairbanks is joined by Todd Caspersen, Director of Purchasing for Equal Exchange. Hear about the initiatives Equal Exchange has started to develop common language so that producers, retailers and consumers are all on the same page. Language barriers, personal relationships and honesty are all integral to ensuring that fair trade standards are maintained and upheld, and Todd gives listeners inside perspective into the process of managing all of the systems that get coffee from crop to cup, ethically and responsibly. This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.  “You can have fair trade coffee that is commercial grade, and fair trade coffee that is super high quality. It can be both things, and it’s not a prerequisite one way or another. It’s about the individuals in the supply chain.” [07:00] “What I’d like to see is greater levels of research and investigation to increase productivity on rural Latin American farms.” [32:00] –Todd Caspersen, Director of Purchasing for Equal Exchange on The Farm ReportSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.