Taos first NM town to earn Fair Trade certification

Taos has earned a Fair Trade Town designation from Fair Trade Towns USA. It is the first such designation for a town in New Mexico and also the first in the western U.S. It is the fifth town nationwide to be so certified.

The Fair Trade designation process involves verification by a third party to certify a town has excellent products for consumers and that the goods are produced in a sustainable fashion.

It also certifies safe and healthy working conditions, no forced labor of any kind, the encouragement of long-term relationships between producers and buyers and an internal structure for producers that allows decisions about profits to be made democratically.

Content Continues Below

Fair Trade Towns USA has certain guidelines towns must follow to be certified as Fair Trade Towns. Communities must form a steering committee that meets regularly. There must be a range of Fair Trade products available in local stores, cafes and other venues. These include products certified by TransFair USA and products from organizations that are members of the Fair Trade Federation. Also, Fair Trade products are to be used by a number of local organizations, such as schools, hospitals, offices and places of worship.

The guidelines also stipulate that there should be a local campaign to attract media attention and visible public support and the town's governing body must pass a resolution to support Fair Trade and the local campaign . Town councilors in Taos passed a resolution in February.

"We view buying fair and buying local as objectives that are not in competition, but are complementary," said Taos Mayor Bobby F. Duran.

Duran said this means customers in Taos can buy Fair Trade coffee through Taos Roasters, either on a wholesale basis or retail through coffee houses and stores.

Chris Pieper, chairman of the Town of Taos Fair Trade Steering Committee, and owner of Mudd & Flood Mountain Shop, said the Fair Trade model allows farmers and producers to get a fair price for products and helps ensure economic sustainability.

Taos officials said more stores are now carrying Fair Trade lines, which have a TransFair seal to identify them.

The resolution is available atwww.taosgov.com. City certification guidelines are atwww.fairtradetownsusa.org.