What is Fairtrade America?

Fairtrade America is the U.S. branch of the global Fairtrade system, and its main job is to promote the Fairtrade Mark — a certification label that appears on products ranging from coffee and cocoa to bananas and sugar. If you have seen a black, green, and blue Fairtrade certification mark on a grocery item and wondered who stands behind it, Fairtrade America is the organization connecting that label to farmers and workers worldwide. The site describes Fairtrade as a response to a trade system that "exploits farmers," positioning certification as a way to support sustainable livelihoods for farming families.

What Fairtrade America actually does

The organization's work centers on the Fairtrade Mark and the standards behind it. According to the site, more than 37,000 products carry the Fairtrade Mark across more than 140 countries, over 2 million farmers and workers participate in the Fairtrade system globally, and more than $2 billion in Fairtrade premium has been paid to farmers over the past decade.

The premium is a key mechanism: buyers pay an extra amount on top of the product price, and farming cooperatives decide collectively how to invest it — in community projects, equipment, or business development. Fairtrade America's role is to build awareness among U.S. shoppers and companies so that more of those purchases flow through certified supply chains.

Who it's for

• Shoppers who want to know what the Fairtrade Mark means before choosing a product.
• Companies considering certification or sourcing Fairtrade ingredients.
• Farmers and cooperatives looking for information about joining the Fairtrade system.
• Advocates and students researching fair trade, supply chains, or ethical consumption.

What you'll find on the site

The homepage highlights several recurring themes:

• Fairtrade Month campaigns — for example, a current push asking Walmart to carry Fairtrade bananas.
• Producer stories — first-person accounts from farmers, such as a cocoa farmer in Côte d'Ivoire describing how Fairtrade premium income helped her avoid debt and become a community leader.
• Business-focused content — articles on topics like "greenshouting" and how consumer protection momentum can build customer trust.
• Explainer pages — including "What is Fairtrade?" and a section on the benefits of Fairtrade for people and planet.

The site frames its mission broadly: human rights, environmental protection, child protection, living incomes, and gender equity are presented as connected rather than separate issues.

How to use the site

1. Start with "What is Fairtrade?" if you want the basic definition and how certification works.
2. Browse product categories (cocoa, sugar, bananas, cinnamon, coffee) to see what kinds of goods can carry the mark.
3. Read farmer stories if you want concrete examples of how premium payments are used.
4. Check the business section if you are evaluating certification for a company.

What to keep in mind

The site is an advocacy and certification organization's own platform, so its framing reflects that perspective. It does not publish pricing for certification, membership requirements, or a full list of certified brands on the homepage. If you need those specifics — for example, to decide whether to certify a product — you will need to look for the dedicated sections for businesses or producers rather than relying on the overview pages.