Direct Trade – Farmer Empowerment 

Canada’s Farm Crisis 

Most Canadians do not know that there is a farm crisis in Canada.  Since the 1970’s there has been a constant flow of farmers leaving the land and moving into urban centers.  Less than 2% of our population are farmers, and those who are still farming are at an average age of 55!   

The Canadian farm crisis is an economic crisis, and has happened because production costs continue to rise each year (fuel, equipment, fertilizers, tax) and grain prices have stayed the same.  As a result farmers are incurring more debt, and having to farm more land with larger equipment just to make ends meet.  If they do not succeed, they go bankrupt and move off of the farm. 

Fair Trade – Pay farmers what they deserve 

Fair and Direct Trade is the only solution to a farm crisis, whether it is in Canada, Central America, Africa or anywhere that farmers are not being paid their due.  The principles of Fair Trade are simple enough: pay the farmers what they need to produce the food and to make enough profit to re-invest in their farms and their families.  When farmers are economically stable, they are empowered and have the freedom to be better stewards of the land, adhering to sustainable methods rather than survivalist methods such as slash and burn farming, or chemical-dependent farming. 

Farmer – Customer relationships 

Direct Trade also creates relationships between farmers and those who consume their products.  It is relationships like these that give people confidence that the food they are eating is healthy and was produced in a sustainable manner.