The UNM group that persuaded campus food-service officials to offer Fair Trade coffee will expand its campaign in the fall semester.
Established in fall 2002, Fair Trade Initiative has pressed UNM officials to stop selling conventional coffee on campus in favor of Fair Trade coffee. According to Oxfam International, Fair Trade coffee, an alternative that pays impoverished coffee farmers more, improves their long-term economic opportunities and encourages development in their communities.
UNM vendors began offering Fair Trade coffee in addition to conventional varieties last fall. Most of UNM's coffee vendors now offer a Fair Trade option at no extra retail cost.
Fair Trade Initiative President Kathryn Mann said her group is forging ties with the Student Socialist Coalition, the TVI group that led a successful campaign to replace TVI's conventional coffee with Fair Trade coffee. She said it was a victory that impressed her group.
"We're totally blown away by what they've done," Mann said.
Rachel Rankin, co-founder of the Student Socialist Coalition, said persuading TVI officials to make the switch was as easy as gathering signatures on a petition.
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In addition to allying itself with the coalition, Mann said the Fair Trade Initiative is building a relationship with recently-hired food services director Carol Scott.
"We want to set up a relationship with (Scott) and see if we can actually expand the amount of Fair Trade that's offered," Mann said. "Right now the problem is there are a lot of local blends, and people don't realize that Fair Trade (coffee) is the same price, and it's gourmet coffee."
A large cup of Fair Trade coffee at Higher Grounds in the SUB costs the same as a conventional cup - $1.68.
Scott, who oversees UNM's food services, said Fair Trade coffee is commonplace where she comes from.
"In Texas, Fair Trade was a must-have," she said. "We are in favor of Fair Trade coffee."
Andy Wieczorek, general manager of the New Mexico Coffee Company, said UNM is his only Fair Trade coffee customer.
Demand for the coffee is low because it costs 20 percent more than its conventional counterpart, a deterrent compounded by high poverty in New Mexico, he said.
"We're not the best place to start, compared with New York City," he said. "Everybody wants to do the right thing with Fair Trade - which we believe in too - but if there's no market, I can't bring it in."
Wieczorek said UNM's demand for his Fair Trade coffee variety has declined by more than 50 percent since UNM's first order in 2003.
He said he does not know why demand has declined, but the hot summer weather may have depressed demand.
To acquire Fair Trade certification, producers must meet rigorous criteria established by Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International.
The certification process requires coffee production groups to function democratically and coffee laborers' minimum wage be set at $1.26 per pound.
Mann said conventional coffee farmers are often paid wages as low as 26 cents per pound of coffee.
According to the Fair Trade Federation Web site, Fair Trade businesses return one-third to one-fourth of profits back to producers in developing countries.
