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Bananas: nutritious treat or geopolitical nightmare? Jessica Wynn unpeels the shocking truth behind our favorite fruit on this week's Skeptical Sunday! Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by Jessica Wynn! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: The United Fruit Company (later Chiquita) wielded extraordinary power in the early and mid-20th century, orchestrating military coups in Honduras and Guatemala, and influencing US foreign policy to protect its interests. This corporate empire even played a role in events leading to the Bay of Pigs invasion and Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1928, Colombian banana workers protesting for basic rights like real currency payment and decent housing were surrounded by military forces and massacred. While the government claimed 47 deaths, other accounts put the toll at around 3,000 — a stark example of the violence underpinning the industry. Even today, banana workers face inhumane conditions including chemical exposure, poverty-level wages, and suppression of union activities. The industry has been linked to child labor, sexual exploitation, and human rights abuses across Latin America. The banana industry uses more agrochemicals than almost any other crop sector, with about 85% missing their target and contaminating workers, communities, and ecosystems. Monoculture farming depletes soil, threatens biodiversity, and pollutes water systems, even damaging coral reefs. Despite this troubling history, consumers can make positive choices by seeking out bananas from ethical producers like Equal Exchange, Coliman, Earth University, and Organics Unlimited/GROW. These brands prioritize sustainable practices and fair treatment of workers, allowing us to enjoy this nutritious fruit while supporting systems that benefit both people and our planet. Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with Jessica Wynn at Instagram and Threads, and subscribe to her newsletter: Between the Lines! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1125
Good faith gestures don't always live up to their name. We have a Patreon! What to support us? Click HERE! You can find us on Instagram (chaosenginepod) and Bluesky (chaosenginepod) You can also email us at chaosenginepod@gmail.com We have a discord now! Feel free to stop by if that interests you! The Cast: Referee: Chris Blex Blex Blex - Jake Astrodomos "Toots" Rodgers - Meescha Jedt Coinbitter - Cody Zander Cross - Tyler Check out our friends: Pretending to be People! Stories & Lies Sorry, Honey I have to Take This Tabletop Talk Wilderspace Gaming Doomed to Repeat The Great Old Ones Gaming Negative Modifier Chaos Springs Eternal The Black Flare Podcast
Chocolate is the top-selling Halloween candy and is considered a must-have treat for the trick-or-treaters and eaters of leftovers alike. But do you think about where your chocolate comes from? Listen to this week's podcast to find out! _________ This week's episode is part of an occasional series about coffee, and this week we actually take time to discuss a closely related commodity--chocolate. Our guest, James Hayes-Bohanan, has been doing research on political, social, cultural, and environmental geography of coffee for 20 years and by extension has learned a fair amount about cacao. In this episode James gives us an overview of growing, harvesting and processing, including an open secret of child exploitation and slave labor. We learn that the manufacturers of the most popular store brands are the worst offenders. James helps us understand the complexities of fair trade, small farms, and large cacao traders, as well as what we can do to find and support more socially responsible producers of chocolate. Podcast Notes Supreme Court decision in support of Nestle and Cargill regarding slave labor: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/17/supreme-court-ruling-child-slave-labor-495022 An overview from Equal Exchange with embedded links to company scorecards and more: https://www.info.equalexchange.coop/articles/who-grows-your-chocolate Newspaper article Burdick Chocolate: https://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/burdick-clears-the-air-on-rumors-of-walpole-chocolate-company-sale/article_1aa500d3-b4fe-518a-8c1e-2010b1b7a45b.html Burdick chocolate partnership with Grenada farmers: https://www.jouvaychocolate.com/about-us An industry site: https://worldcocoafoundation.org/ Living Earth Festival Symposium on Chocolate from Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indianhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCw5OE_2sgo
Too few understand the genocide that is raging in the Congo. Human rights activist Gaëtan-Dauphin Nzowo of Friends of the Congo joins me to examine the country's economic & geopolitical significance and how this genocide has been driven by extractive capitalism. As Gaëtan points out, “most Congolese don't have a smartphone to document the atrocities” committed against them, but the labor and blood of the Congolese people continues to supply the materials needed for our smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles.We honor the legacy of independence leader Patrice Lumumba, who was assassinated for daring to speak out against the plundering of his nation by foreign powers. We also discuss how the Congolese struggle for independence is intricately connected with the struggles of folks in Sudan, Haiti, and Palestine. Gaëtan-Dauphin Nzowo works with Friends of the Congo, an organization dedicated to raising awareness MD bringing lasting change to this conflict-plagued region. He is a construction inspector & civil engineering designer, and he currently serves as the president of the National Society of Black Engineers in Portland, Oregon. Gaëtan is the co-founder of New Young Congolese Scholars, and a board member at the Understanding Racism Foundation. As an active member of the Congolese Action Youth Platform, Gaëtan has been fighting to recognize Genocost (genocide for economic gain) in the Congo. ACTIONS TO TAKE:-Donate to Friends of the Congo-Follow @congofriends and @gaetan_nzowo_official on IG-Purchase Equal Exchange fair trade coffee, Congo Coffee Project (more below)COCKTAIL:Fairly-traded coffee from the CONGO COFFEE PROJECT through Equal Exchange. Purchases help the Panzi Foundation support survivors of sexual violence in the DRCSupport the Show.Cocktails & Capitalism is an anticapitalist labor of love, but we could use your help to make this project sustainable. If you can support with even a dollar a month, that would really help us continue to educate, agitate, and amplify the voices of those who are working to dismantle capitalism and create a better world. https://www.patreon.com/cocktailsandcapitalismFollow us on Instagram and TwitterSome episodes on YouTube. Please like & subscribeThis show is sponsored by Beautiful Trouble — an international network of organizers, artists, and trainers working to equip grassroots movements with the tools to become more creative, effective, and irresistible.
The first thing I want to say about building a professional network is this is NOT just for when you are looking for a new job. In fact, if you spend regular time cultivating your professional network, you may not need to ever look for a new job – opportunities will come to you. The problem most people run into relative to cultivating a professional network is TIME. Specifically, they don't prioritize networking, so it gets shoved to the back burner (or behind the stove altogether). #1 – Have a Goal for Your Networking. You may be looking for career opportunities, looking for a mentor, wanting to get clients, or seeking out collaborators. Determine your WHY – this will inform the types of networking you choose to engage in. #2 – Investigate the Possibilities. As for networking events, look to your local Chamber of Commerce, professional associations, service clubs, industry conferences, workshops, and seminars. Be willing to give a group at least two tries before deciding if it will be a viable networking venue for you. There are also events where networking is possible – as I define it, places where the music's not too loud and the people aren't too drunk. Think broadly here – I like sites like Facebook's Events tab, Meetup, and events at your place of worship. There's also 1:1 networking, so identify individuals that could support your goals. These could include colleagues or former colleagues, alumni from your university, industry professionals, or thought leaders in your field. Be sure to follow up with contacts afterwards, utilizing LinkedIn. #3 – Join Professional Organizations. Some of the events you attend from idea #2 may turn out to be great fits for you, so join and get involved. Seek out committees or roles that speak to your passions and strengths. #4 – Make Sure Your Networking is an Equal Exchange of Energy. Networking should be a two-way street. Be willing to offer assistance, advice, or support to your contacts – this builds goodwill and strengthens your relationships. Above all, follow through on what you say you will do for someone – gain that all-important reputation as someone who does what they say they will do. #5 – Keep Your Online Presence Professional. Regularly update your LinkedIn profile, engage in meaningful discussions, and showcase your achievements and projects. You don't ever want to be embarrassed by your online presence. #6 – Don't Let LinkedIn Be the Place Your Connections Go to Die. After meeting someone new, follow up with a personalized message. After someone has accepted your invitation to connect, begin cultivating a relationship. Try periodically sharing updates, articles, or just checking in with them to see how they're doing. I recommend setting aside time each week specifically for LinkedIn networking – for me, it's 15 minutes twice each week. What do I do during this time? -Respond to messages-Accept invitations to connect-Say “hello” to new connections-Send wishes for birthdays, promotions, new jobs, work anniversaries-5-word responses to people's posts Here are some additional things you might use this time for: -Seeking out people to connect with-Periodically checking in with existing connections – have a strategy for this, as this is definitely a long game This time should NOT be spent looking for jobs or applying to jobs – that isn't networking. Based on my first suggestion, once you have a goal for WHY you are networking, next decide how much time you can consistently give to networking. Key word here is CONSISTENCY. For example:1 group networking event per month1, 1:1 networking meeting per month30 minutes per week networking on LinkedIn This is going to equal about 5.5-6 hours per month. Another example: 1 event where I can network each week15 minutes a day networking on LinkedIn This is going to equal about 7.5 hours per month. As you can see, this can be done effectively without taking too much of your time. This is Quadrant Two activity – Important/Not Urgent. Quadrant Two activities, according to Steven Covey, result in better balance, more control, fewer crises, greater vision and perspective, and more discipline. Sounds good, right? Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The document and coaching programs offered by Exclusive Career Coaching will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you're worth. If you're ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2
December 14, 2023 Everything Co-op continues to feature finalist from its Inaugural 2023 Holiday List, a thoughtfully curated list of products and services from the cooperative community. In this 3rd installment, Vernon will introduces his listeners to two of his picks for the "Body" & "Community". Nate Chittenden, Member/Owner at Cabot Creamery Cooperative, discusses the whole process of how the concept of "Farm-to-Table" plays out within his family farm, and other farmers, who are a part of Cabot; and Danielle Robidoux, organizer with Equal Exchange gives an inside account of how worker-owners fit within the structure of Equal Exchange, and the benefits being passed on to consumers. Nate Chittenden grew up with a passion for cows, farming and family. He comanages the family's 1,980-acre Dutch Hollow Farm in Shodack Landing, New York, with his parents and brothers. With about 1,500 cows, there is always plenty to do on the farm. Dutch Hollow welcomes thousands of visitors each year from schools, pre-schools, youth groups, 4-H clubs, high school science classes and college veterinary classes. Nate has held leadership positions on the board of Agri-Mark Young Cooperators, is a member of the Farmer Advisory Council for F.A.R.M., and has been a local 4-H dairy leader for more than 20 years. His efforts have helped strengthen his community, promote family farming and inspire the next generation of dairy farmers. Nate was recently honored with the inaugural Cornell University Hometown Alumni Award. The award honors alumni in New York state who return to their home counties to start or enhance, a business or non-profit, and who regularly volunteers and is deeply engaged in their home counties. Nate is a Devoted Dad when he isn't farming and enjoys spending time with his kids and trying out new recipes that incorporate the award-winning dairy products his family farm helps produce. Danielle Robidoux is a long-time food activist who has been interested in our connection to food since she was young. Raised by her Italian grand-mother, she was making homemade sauce since she could walk. Traveling to coffee lands throughout her higher education brought up the resounding question of 'why do people have to suffer so consumers can buy cheap products?'. To Danielle, Equal Exchange had the answer. Danielle has her Master's Degree in International Relations and Economic Development and has been doing organizing work for Equal Exchange for the past seven years. She loves yoga, hiking, traveling, and anything that involves food.
December 1, 2022 Jason Wiener, Principal of Jason Wiener|p.c., and co-founder of the Colorado Cooperative Developers discusses employee ownership in Colorado. Jason is the Principal of a boutique law and business consulting practice and co-founder of “Colorado Cooperative Developers”. Jason's specialty is in cooperative law, shared ownership models, cooperative finance, regenerative capital and financing strategies, sustainable economies law, teal lawyering, virtual outside general counsel, and worker-ownership. Jason has advised on more than a dozen worker-cooperative conversions, several multi-stakeholder ownership conversions, and more than a dozen platform cooperatives. Jason has also advised numerous clients through socially responsible financings, including through membership capital campaigns, private offerings, and qualified intrastate public offerings. Jason holds a B.S. from Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations and a J.D. cum laude from Suffolk University Law School, where he received honors with a concentration in international law. Jason has served on the Boards of several worker-owned businesses around the country, including Stocksy United, Equal Exchange and Colorado recovery. Jason's specialty is in cooperative law, shared ownership models, cooperative finance, regenerative capital and financing strategies, sustainable economies law, teal lawyering, virtual outside general counsel, and worker-ownership. Jason has advised on more than a dozen worker-cooperative conversions, several multi-stakeholder ownership conversions, and more than a dozen platform cooperatives.
October is National Co-op Month and Fair Trade Month, and the latest episode of That's Rad is here to celebrate both. Host Anastasia is joined for this episode by Danielle Robidoux, Organizer with Equal Exchange and the Citizen-Consumer initiative. Equal Exchange is a pioneer in the modern day fair trade movement, and what you might not know from seeing their bananas, coffee, and chocolate bars is that they're also a cooperative. Danielle and Anastasia sit down for an honest conversation about the challenges facing the fair trade movement, how cooperative principles influence a global worker cooperative, and what our role as individuals and as cooperatives should be in the fight for a fair economy. This episode is perfect for anyone who wants to think more critically about how their food is made; or if you just want to hear more of Anastasia. Read EE's article about Covid's impact on supply chain: https://www.info.equalexchange.coop/articles/corporate-consolidation Join the citizen-consumer initiative: https://shop.equalexchange.coop/pages/join The Littleton Food Co-op is Littleton, NH's only community owned marketplace, and your premiere destination for all fairly sourced products. Browsing the aisles you'll find local organic produce, fine cheeses, meats, bulk foods, craft beers, and more. Plus, look for the new orange “Inclusive Trade” shelf tags to indicate which products have been certified in offering fair wages and labor practices for their producers. Co-op membership is another great way to make changes in your food system, but no membership is required to shop at the Co-op. All are welcome! Stop by in store any day of the week to learn more about membership and see all the store has to offer. Or visit us online at littletoncoop.com.
On this episode, our party meet the "so called" King Lionheart and are tasked with keeping the peace.... Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 1873: Our article of the day is Equal Exchange Trading.
The term "gold digger"—referring to a woman or man who pursues a romantic relationship primarily for its material benefits, entering into a quid pro quo, more-or-less equal exchange of relationship for money or gifts—is prevalent in pop culture and media. It is the name of a hit 2005 song recorded by rapper Kanye West. The internet offers material including advice on how to become a gold digger; advice on how to avoid one; and rosters of famous gold diggers. The gold digger is also a prominent archetype in literary fiction. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/you-betterknow4/message
The term "gold digger"—referring to a woman or man who pursues a romantic relationship primarily for its material benefits, entering into a quid pro quo, more-or-less equal exchange of relationship for money or gifts—is prevalent in pop culture and media. It is the name of a hit 2005 song recorded by rapper Kanye West. The internet offers material including advice on how to become a gold digger; advice on how to avoid one; and rosters of famous gold diggers. The gold digger is also a prominent archetype in literary fiction. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/you-betterknow4/message
Summary: Dan Fireside is a key player in the world of creative financing strategy, but he does not come from a high finance or private equity background. After working as a program officer at Rights Action, a grassroots NGO based in Guatemala and Peru, Dan went on to work at Equal Exchange, the worker-coop, Fair Trade coffee company where he helped raise over $17 million in mission-aligned equity and debt. Now, he's sitting down with hosts Jenny Kassan and Michelle Thimesch to discuss how he applied the skills he learned as an activist to help co-ops and other mission-driven businesses raise values-aligned funding. Key quotes: “Ninety percent of fundraising is storytelling.” “My biggest takeaway was the power of cooperatives.” Bio: Daniel Fireside, founder of Uncommon Capital Solutions, is a fundraising consultant for co-ops and other mission-driven companies. He was the Capital Coordinator for Equal Exchange, one of the largest worker-owned cooperatives in the U.S. for over a decade. At Equal Exchange, Daniel raised over $15 million in investments and mission-aligned debt. He was elected to the board of Equal Exchange, as well as the Cooperative Fund of New England, and Namaste Solar. As the lead fundraiser for Downtown Crenshaw Rising, he has helped raise nearly $35 million for a Black community-led initiative to protect neighborhoods in South LA from gentrification and displacement by using community land trusts and supporting solidarity economy programs. Daniel has worked with non-profits, social enterprises, and community development organizations in the U.S., Guatemala, and elsewhere. He holds a Master's degree in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University and a BA from UC Santa Cruz. He also speaks regularly at universities and conferences, including: Harvard Law School, MIT, Tufts, Northeastern University, Slow Money, SOCAP, among others. Social media and/or contact info for inquiries: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-fireside-74710220/ Angels of Main Street: https://www.angelsofmainstreet.com/
This holiday season, check out some of our absolute favorite gift ideas from organizations that strive to value people and planet over profit. 1. Shema Apparel - Their collection of soft and livable clothing is all made with love in sewing centers in SE Asia that empower and employ the most vulnerable and survivors of human trafficking. Designed and created with our environment in mind. Use promo code FIERCEFREEDOM20 from now until Nov 30th for 20% off anything in their store! 2. Equal Exchange - distributes organic, gourmet coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, avocados, cocoa, and chocolate bars produced by farmer cooperatives in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Use promo code FAIRFALL to get 10% off your order! 3. The Hivebox - A subscription box for families that facilitates conversations on justice from Stories Foundation 4. Eden Jewelry - Creates beautiful and unique pieces that carry stories of hope and courage into the world while empowering survivors. The profits from each of your purchases directly benefit the women in Eden's comprehensive program to reach, rescue, and restore trafficking victims. Sign up with your email and get 15% off your order. 5. Fierce Freedom - Check out our range of ethically-sourced, NEW gift ideas for the whole family. All proceeds go back to our mission to end modern-day slavery and to prevent trafficking in our community - each year we reach thousands from supporters like you. Shop our store with the code FIERCE for 20% off until Dec 10th and check out our pop-up shopping event Dec 11th.
This is a very personal story about me and my dad and an experience we shared together off the physical plane just before he died. Please feel free to share your stories. It may help someone else through their grieving journey.The video version of this podcast is available on YouTube.If you would like to see my brow artistry, you can visit my Instagram account or find me through @catherine_at_hausIf you would like to learn more about my brow work specifically or would like to book an appointment for your own brow work, you can visit my Haus Page.For my spiritual and psychic insights, you can get more of my postings on on my 460's Journal Instagram page @460sjournal.If you would like to know more specifically about my psychic work or book a psychic session with me, you can visit my page on 460's Journal.From there, you can book an individual psychic session, a couple's psychic session, or a pet psychic session.Please visit the original artists and let them know how much you love their work!Credits:Cover Original Artist: Instagram / Twitter @hrustallart
Clark R. Arrington, General Counsel of The Working World, Inc., a cooperative that builds cooperative businesses in low-income communities; and Senior Fellow at Seed Commons, a community wealth cooperative. He's an experienced attorney and educator who specializes in worker ownership cooperatives and socially responsible business practices. Prior to joining The Working World Inc., and Seed Commons, he spent most of his professional life teaching courses related to cooperatives, business law, and community economic development at more than half a dozen institutions in the U.S. and abroad. Beginning with a teaching job immediately after college in Chicago, he went on to The University of Southern New Hampshire, The Open University of Tanzania; and Kampala International University-Dar es Salaam College. Throughout his career, Clark has used his legal acumen to address capital formation issues for worker cooperatives, and has played a critical role in leveraging millions of dollars of new investment for social justice cooperatives. As a young lawyer he learned about cooperatives and community land trusts when he was with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives. Well known as an innovator in cooperative finance, Clark finds innovative ways for worker-owned, social justice-minded businesses to raise capital and be profitable without sacrificing democratic control. Clark served as Chair, General Counsel and Capital Coordinator of Equal Exchange and has also served on the boards of the ICA Group, the Social Venture Network, and the Cooperative Fund of New England. His bold vision, reliable pragmatism, and tireless efforts are key to promoting and developing innovative financing structures that are sensitive to the cooperative principles of member ownership, control and benefit.
Equal Exchange Of Energy | S.D. Booker #atoasttothemen #men #gentlemen #entrepreneurs #masculinity #marriage --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/atttm/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/atttm/support
In the course of this series, we’ve seen the ways that corporate goodwill alone is not enough to ensure fair livelihoods for farmers, or to protect the planet that we all share. Nestle, and so many other corporations, are ready to dodge commitments in order to protect their profits. In this episode, we delve into the change needed to end exploitation as usual—and create space to thrive for the inspiring farmer- and community-led projects we’ve heard from throughout this series. In our final episode of the season, we’re unwrapping our own thoughts on those questions and joining us is Charity Ryerson, Executive Director and founder of Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL). She’s suing Nestle and other big chocolate brands for their continued use of child labor—and a business model that is built on exploitation. This conversation explores creative strategies to raise the cost of business-as-usual, and the political change we need to build true corporate accountability. Listen for more ways to take action—not just as consumers, but as global citizens. Take Action Beyond of the Episode: Add your name to our https://fairworldproject.salsalabs.org/end-child-labor-in-cocoa/index.html (petition) and tell Nestlé, Cargill, and other big chocolate companies to STOP using child labor in their supply chains. Then, join us on May 7, 2021 at 10 AM PST for a webinar in celebration of World Fair Trade Day: Building a Fair, Ethical Chocolate Trade. Featuring panelists from Alter Eco, Dr. Bronner’s, Norandino Cooperative, Equal Exchange, and Serendipalm—plus a live Q&A to follow! Seats are limited, so https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pl9_v6JJTe-bX3xpO3GjcA (register now) to reserve your spot! Support this podcast
We always love to highlight organizations that value people over profit, and there's no better way to do that than inviting Kristen King, an Organizer for Equal Exchange, which has been a leading pioneer in fair-trade productions and ethical production for the past 35 years. Kristen breaks down what exactly "fair-trade" means and how to ensure the product you're consuming really is ethically produced. She also shares the modus operandi Equal Exchange uses, which connects small-scale farmers with a global market and consumers with the farmers behind the coffee, tea, chocolate and other products we all consume everyday. Fierce Freedom listeners can also get 10% off their Equal Exchange purchase this month by using our promo code FIERCE at checkout. Listeners are also encouraged to join EE's free Citizen-Consumer Network to continue the conversation and learning how to transform the food system into a sustainable model throughout all parts of the supply chain. To check out a list of other ethical orgs you can visit the Fair Trade Federation's page linked here.
Guests: Michael Rozyne, founder of https://redtomato.org/ (Red Tomato) and one of the three founding members of Equal Exchange; and Robert Ojeda, Chief Programs Director of the https://www.communityfoodbank.org/ (Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona )and a founding member of https://thehungergap.org/ (Closing the Hunger Gap). Co-Hosts: Hannah Semler and Ali Berlow use multi-dimensional storytelling to explore what food security means from both ends of our food supply chain. We take a look from both sides of the MX-US border, learning more about the role produce rescue can have in support of hunger-relief, food security, and food justice when communities come together into focus as a shared story of fair trade, interconnected rights and, the right to food. This is the third episode in Season One: The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona’s Produce Rescue Efforts in Nogales. The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona (CFB) which has rescued and redistributed over 100 million pounds of Mexico-grown produce over the last three years to 37 food banks in 33 states across the U.S., is in the process of developing a collaborative approach to its cross-border Nogales port of entry produce sector business solution, using a rights-based lens. Robert describes how his personal journey informs the work he is most passionate about - turning Community Food Bank into a partner and ally with the communities they support with additional access to food by inviting people in to participate fully in public life and holding that as a precondition to the role they might play securing their own food security. Michael shares his journey, weaving in and out of working with local and regional agricultural in the U.S., with his perspectives about international supply chains, and the importance of telling the stories of far away food production, while relearning how to value our local agriculture, here at home. His is a clarion call to narrative shifts and complex collaborations in order to transform food systems towards justice. ‘What is American Food?’ is funded by the https://www.bjfff.org/ (Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation). Production support from Melody Rowell and Ian Carlsen. Music by Ian Carlsen. Barks by Barley.
We review Love Buzz from Equal Exchange and rant about dark roasts, pollsters, and third takes. Links: https://equalexchange.coop/ Vobaga Coffee Cup Warmer: https://www.amazon.com/VOBAGA-Electric-Temperature-Beverage-Chocolate/dp/B08FDFRKR3?ref_=ast_sto_dp *New Episodes Mondays at 10am*
With 60 million LatinX people living in the Unites States and 1.3 million LatinX business owners and having 1 in 4 new business created by a person from Latinx community its quite remarkable to see how it takes twice as longer as a white male to earn the same.. ...Cooperatives are a way to combine resources to create and redistribute wealth for better accessibility be it in grocery, library or businesses within marginalized communities . Its a means of empowerment to create power , dignity and equitable society. Esther West brings a long-time passion for worker co-ops and community development in her role as Cooperative Development Specialist at the University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. Bringing insights from various urban planning experiences prior to joining the Center, Esther researches co-op ecosystems and Latinx cooperatives. Bringing five years of first-hand worker ownership experience from Equal Exchange, Esther provides technical assistance to co-op start-ups.She has been Co-Facilitator for the Eastern Coordinating Committee for the Eastern Conference for Workplace Democracy, a Trainer with Green Worker Co-ops in the Bronx, and Equal Exchange’s Education Committee Co-Chair.Esther currently is a board member of MadWorC and was recently elected as vice president of the board of the US Federation of Worker Cooperatives."Creation" was an apt name for creating power, wealth and accessibility within underserved populations in the US. Creating a vision of worker owned coops for more equitable and just society .. A powerful resource for more information about Esther's work that gives an overview and a toolkit to start Co-op is:https://uwcc.wisc.edu/research/latinx-cooperative-research/
Hilary Abell of Project Equity joins All Things Co-op to talk about her experiences and take away from almost 2 decades of work in co-op development. Topics include: The background, mission and work of Project Equity; Abell's thoughts on how the current pandemic and economic crisis contributes to the existing "silver tsunami" and increases the possibility for conversions; Successful conversion examples by Project Equity: pizza, manufacturing; Project Equity's process of identifying potential candidates for conversion; Abell's thoughts on growing the economic sector: the path to scale. Learn more about Project Equity: https://project-equity.org/ Learn more about the referenced paper by Hilary Abell, "Worker Cooperatives: Pathways to Scale" https://democracycollaborative.org/learn/publication/worker-cooperatives-pathways-scale Hilary Abell was “bit by the cooperative bug” when she was a worker-owner at Equal Exchange in the 1990s and forever changed by witnessing how Latin American farmers used coops to transform their communities. After a decade of internationally focused community empowerment work, Hilary has worked in coop development in the Bay Area since 2003. As Executive Director of WAGES (since rebranded to Prospera), she led the organization through a period of major growth, resulting in a network of five worker-owned green cleaning businesses that created 100 healthy, dignified jobs for low-income women. Worker-owners increased their family incomes by 40-80%, built assets through robust profit sharing, and gained business skills and social capital. Hilary co-founded Project Equity while writing Worker Cooperatives: Pathways to Scale and consulting for coop development initiatives and nonprofits. For her work with Project Equity, Hilary was awarded Presidio Graduate School’s Big Idea Prize in 2013, an Echoing Green Fellowship in 2014, and a 2016 Local Economy Fellowship. She has her B.A. from Princeton University and her MBA in Sustainable Management from Presidio. In her spare time, she can be found powering up a hill on her road bike or nesting with her wife and three kittens.
n this episode, I will speak with Dan Fireside of Equal Exchange. Dan has a wealth of knowledge on fair trade, farmer cooperatives and how things in the fair trade movement have changed over the past several years. In this episode, we delved into all of the above. We also discussed the problem of child slave labor in the chocolate industry. Equal Exchange is a mission based Massachusetts based worker cooperative. You can learn more about Equal Exchange and the products they carry here. https://equalexchange.coop/ Dan shared a petition asking Mars & Nestle to stop using child slave labor in their chocolate products. Here is the link. https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/mars-nestle-stop-using-child-slave-labor-in-your-chocolate-products?source=facebook-share-button&time=1602094938&utm_source=facebook&share=a4b5713e-66b2-4fef-a4b2-6c4434384162&fbclid=IwAR0Pq_7dj4N8EM8Ef5hHoX4GxNsAUX00a1FEPkreuEek4LTvJA-QFYfhag8
In this podcast Zsofia and Joy Landis - communications manager and assistant coordinator of the IPM Program - talked about how she got into communication, her interest in design, photography and relationship to digital and social media platforms. We also chatted about her family, travel, things she misses during lockdown, her favorite food, and coffee/tea drinking habits - Joy buys bulk coffee online from Equal Exchange, a fair trade company. Joy is into running, ran the Chicago marathon, and also likes biking and walking.
Sarah Hrisak, Lead Coffee Roaster and Production Supervisor at Equal Exchange, Inc., talks about the employee centered focus and cooperative business structure of Equal Exchange. Vernon and Sarah also discuss how Equal Exchange has supported its employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Sarah supervises the roasting of about 5.5 million pounds of coffee a year to a range of roast profiles and strict quality standards. Since roasting her first batch of coffee in 2013, her roast philosophy has evolved to focus on balance and sweetness. She loves that coffee roasting is always new and changing because of the seasons of the product and New England. As an owner, Sarah served two terms as Worker-Owner Coordinator, and is currently serving her first term on the co-op's Board if Directors, where she helped rewrite the By-laws and Articles of Organization. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, good beer, and going on adventures with her fiancé, Ashley.
THE CONVOThis episode is brought to you by the wisdom of my grandma, Claire Hertz. At 86, my grandma works as a therapist in New York City, thriving off nightly sessions with Rachel Maddow, nibbles of Equal Exchange chocolate, and a thorough daily read of the NY Times. Today, my grandma and I talk about aging from three perspectives: mind, body, and soul. We chat about what it’s like having an older body while living in a society that views youth and beauty synonymously, learning how to “age well” as a feminist (and what that means), and so much more. Support this podcast by rating and reviewing Ineffable Goodness on iTunes & spreading the word to your family and friends! Thank you all SO much for listening. _________________________________________________________________________________________*Books Claire mentions in this episode*➭ Becoming➭ On Being Mortal➭ The Plot Against AmericaWanna tell me what you think? Have questions? Ideas for other episodes? Guest suggestions? Think of something ineffably good to share? ➭ Let me know by emailing me—ineffablegoodness@gmail.com!➭ Follow Ineffable Goodness on Instagram @ineffablegoodnessSupport the show (http://ineffablegoodness.com)
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Episode 15: John Steel Safia talks to John Steel, CEO of Cafédirect, about the iconic & pioneering Fairtrade coffee brand that put Fairtrade into our supermarkets in the 1990s.John explains how starting his career with Rowntree, a company established on Quaker traditions, grounded him in the guiding principle that business should be about improving society and not just about making money. Rowntree was acquired by Nestle in 1988. “We need to find a way of getting the world to change more rapidly and have generosity of spirit that human beings should have,” says John.Cafédirect began in 1991 as a response to the 1989 global collapse in coffee prices and was the first brand to go into the supermarkets, promoted jointly by Oxfam, Traidcraft, Equal Exchange and Twin Trading.It also launched the Fairtrade mark, from which hundreds of products and product categories have followed. It has grown to £14 million turnover, growing 10% in 2019, led by its’ popular Machu Picchu roast filter coffee and a premium range launched with Waitrose. The company works with approximately 600,000 small-scale coffee farmers. John says “the environment is now so positive for businesses like Cafédirect where the consumer is increasingly saying ‘I want to choose to use my money to make a difference’.”In the future, John explains that he would like to raise awareness of how business can be done better, to influence other companies to buy in the right way and “work closely with farm communities to make a profound difference on the environment and their livelihoods, as the future of food and drink depends on that.”He recalls visiting a small, struggling co-operative near the ruins of MachuPicchu and seeing how the Fairtrade business model can make a real difference. Cafédirect were able to support the community with a loan, enabling them to not only survive, but flourish and establish a reliable income stream and go on to win an export award for quality coffee.He explains that Cafédirect work through more than 40 co-operatives , varying from small groups of 300 families to many thousands. The company doesn’t want farmers to be dependent on Cafédirect so their business is a small percentage of the farmer’s total income. John wishes that more coffee companies would buy coffee from the farmers on Fairtrade terms.The Fairtrade model ensures farmers get a minimum price guarantee and the co-operative adds a premium to improve communities. John points out the importance of this guarantee in a volatile market - coffee prices can go down to as low as 88c per kg , much lower than the $1.35 farmers need to subsist. “A consistent reasonable price is a basic requirement in a moral society.”John believes that there is still room for consumers to understand the real connection between the coffee farmers and their role as ‘stewards of nature’. He says “Cafédirect is a pioneering business and change needs to occur with greater scale and impact. Businesses managed properly can mobilise consumers just as David Attenborough mobilised consumers against plastic waste. The business model Cafédirect uses is successful. When you talk to a student about the different business models you can adopt, trading on fair trade terms, buying organically, working directly with small holder farmers and working with them to help them think about how to manage the environment, every single person in the room will go away thinking ‘why should I buy anything else?’”John admits some frustration competing with a growing number of Fair Trade and ethical labels and advocates one mark which guarantees ‘good’ business. As the first coffee company to become a ‘B Corp’, and working closely with social enterprise UK, he sees Cafédirect leading the way, “I see a collaborative business model that is looking at how we improve the lives of farmers and setting an example of how business can lead change.”John and Safia finish by discussing thought leadership and systems change in the light of the events of ...
Dreaming about quitting your day job? Food blogger and photographer Chelsea Colbath decided to pursue her passion for food full time. She joined us to talk about Baked Greens, her food-focused blog and photography business. A participant in Equal Exchange's organizing work, she's engaged in exploring the importance of community and what it means to be an engaged citizen staying authentic in a world dominated by corporations. Chelsea also shared some of the fun sides of her work -- including how she creates simple, affordable, and socially conscious recipes for her followers.You can learn more about Chelsea and Baked Greens at www.bakedgreens.comAnd remember to share this episode with a friend who might enjoy it. This episode was produced by Gary Goodman with hosts Danielle Robidoux & Gary Goodman. For additional information about this podcast, please visit https://blog.equalexchange.coop/category/podcast/
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, & Equal Exchange. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com
Rodney North, Cooperative Consultant and member of the DC Cooperative Stakeholders Group, discusses a mapping project of Cooperatives in the DMV, resources for cooperatives, and priorities of the DC Stakeholders Group. Rodney North has spent more than two decades in co-ops, helping co-ops, or advocating for the co-op model, and usually was doing all three at the same time. Today Rodney is consultant to cooperatives, and an active member of the DC Cooperative Stakeholders Group. This is a group of local people and institutions who have been meeting for 2 1/2 years, to explore ways to strengthen and support co-ops in the city. The city is supporting this effort because business cooperatives are one thread in the city's overall economic development strategy. Before returning to the DC area in 2015 Rodney spent 20 years as part of Equal Exchange - one of the nation's largest, most successful, and influential worker-owned cooperatives. You may know Equal Exchange for its brand of organic Fair Trade coffee, chocolate or other foods. But it is also a $65 million dollar enterprise 100% owned and controlled by the 150 men and women who work there. Rodney held many roles there: Vice chair of the board of directors, worker-owner, staff trainer and other leadership positions.
This is the second in a two-part discussion with Clark Arrington, a pioneer in the cooperative movement, an innovative legal practitioner, and a leader in the movement for Black economic empowerment. In Part 2, Arrington discusses his work in Tanzania, following his successes at Equal Exchange, and in the United States today as general counsel for The Working World, which provides innovative, nonextractive financing and support for cooperatives. He is interviewed by John Duda, The Democracy Collaborative's communications director.
Part 1 of a special two-part edition of The Next System Podcast features Clark Arrington, a pioneer in the cooperative movement, an innovative legal practitioner, and a leader in the movement for Black economic empowerment. He now works as general counsel for The Working World, which provides creative, nonextractive financing and support for cooperatives. He is also known for his work in helping Equal Exchange grow from a niche organic coffee importer to a $70 million business. He is interviewed by John Duda, communications director for The Democracy Collaborative.
Where do you go to find the most unusual spices? Former chef Ethan Frisch travels all over the world. More specifically, he seeks out farmers who are growing herbs and seasonings of exceptional quality, and through his company, Burlap & Barrel, he helps them connect with a global market. This month on The Stories Behind Our Food, Ethan joined us for a conversation about fair trade and the entrepreneurial spirit.You'll hear how modern technology can allow a farmer in Vietnam to help a farmer in Tanzania. You'll learn what's wrong with the spices in your cabinet (hint: your cinnamon is probably very old!) And if you're like us, you'll be inspired to look at those jars in a whole new way.Visit Burlap & Barrel online: www.burlapandbarrel.comThis episode was produced by Gary Goodman with hosts Kate Chess and Danielle Robidoux. For additional information about this podcast, please visit https://blog.equalexchange.coop/category/podcast/Did you like this episode? Please help us by sharing it with one person you think would enjoy it.
This month Shirley Sherrod joined us on The Stories Behind Our Food to talk about the half century she's spent seeking justice for Black farmers. New Communities Inc. in Georgia was the first community land trust in the United States. Weathering discrimination, drought and outright sabotage, this organization has worked nonstop to build a better life for farmers. As the members of New Communities celebrate their 50th anniversary this year on land once owned by the largest slaveholder in the state, they're looking to the future, planting new trees and bringing younger people into agriculture.Many of the challenges discussed in this episode are specific to Black farmers due to the racism they've faced from their white neighbors and from government entities. But there is a lot they have in common with small-scale family farmers around the world. And as New Communities grows, Ms. Sherrod says, “we'll bring everyone else along with us.” We feel lucky to have had this chance to host Ms. Sherrod who, in addition to her work as an organizer and as former Director of Rural Development for the state of Georgia, is a storyteller with a powerful vision.This episode was produced by Gary Goodman with hosts Kate Chess and Danielle Robidoux. For additional information about this podcast, please visit https://blog.equalexchange.coop/category/podcast/Did you like this episode? Please help us by sharing it with one person you think would enjoy it.
In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman introduces the heart of the Buddha's teaching through an exploration of the compassionate self-interest and social altruism found in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path. Opening with a re-telling of the story featured in the "Man of Peace" Graphic Novel about the Dalai Lama's first encounter with his teacher Khuna Lama who transmitted the oral instructions of the “Equal Exchange of Self for Other” teachings by Shantideva, Professor Thurman uses these classical texts to reveal the wisdom and compassion of Buddhism's perspective. Podcast includes a discussion of the Dalai Lama "wise selfish" teachings, a humorous comparison of the nature of blind faith and religion to the Buddha's discovery and his teachings of engaged realism known as Buddhism and a brief discussion of "What is Buddhism" for those of all backgrounds and experience. Second half of this week's episode is an introduction to the medicine culture of Tibet and how the Buddhist understanding of healing and self transformation is embodied in the work of Tibet House US and the Dewa Spa at Menla Retreat. Podcast concludes with a reading of Wallace Steven’s poem “Tea” by Gary Gach. Altruism and Compassion : Buddhism 101 - Ep. 206 Photo Created with love by Ryan McGuire via www.gratisography.com. “Altruism and Compassion : Buddhism 101 - Ep. 206 of the Bob Thurman Podcast” is apart of the Buddhism 101 series using classic teachings from the archives of Robert A.F. Thurman to elucidate basic concepts of the tradition. To listen to more archive recordings from from past Robert A.F. Thurman teachings + public events please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. To Learn about the benefits of Tibet House US Membership please visit: www.tibethouse.us. The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved. Gary Gregory Gach is an author, translator, and editor living in San Francisco. A dynamic speaker and teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism his works include the anthology “What Book!? Buddha Poems from Beat to Hiphop” and the forthcoming “Pause Breathe Smile – Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation is Not Enough”.
In this episode Robert A.F. Thurman introduces the heart of the Buddha’s teaching through an exploration of the compassionate self-interest and social altruism found in the Four Noble Truths and the Eight-Fold Path. Opening with a re-telling of the story featured in the “Man of Peace” Graphic Novel about the Dalai Lama’s first encounter with his teacher Khuna Lama who transmitted the oral instructions of the “Equal Exchange of Self for Other” teachings by Shantideva, Professor Thurman uses these classical texts to reveal the wisdom and compassion of Buddhism’s perspective. Podcast includes a discussion of the Dalai Lama “wise selfish” teachings, a humorous comparison of the nature of blind faith and religion to the Buddha’s discovery and his teachings of engaged realism known as Buddhism and a brief discussion of “What is Buddhism” for those of all backgrounds and experience. Second half of this week’s episode is an introduction to the medicine culture of Tibet and how the Buddhist understanding of healing and self transformation is embodied in the work of Tibet House US and the Dewa Spa at Menla Retreat. Podcast concludes with a reading of Wallace Steven’s poem “Tea” by Gary Gach. Altruism and Compassion : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 206 Photo Created with love by Ryan McGuire via www.gratisography.com. “Altruism and Compassion : Buddhism 101 – Ep. 206 of the Bob Thurman Podcast” is apart of the Buddhism 101 series using classic teachings from the archives of Robert A.F. Thurman to elucidate basic concepts of the tradition. To listen to more archive recordings f
Want to hear some activist war stories? After Rob Everts dropped out of college in 1975, he helped organize consumer boycotts of Gallo wine, Purina Dog Chow and Folgers coffee, building people power. Rob joins us on The Stories Behind Our Food to share some of what he's learned in the last few decades from his mentors and from the young activists who inspire him today. Rob believes that there are still meaningful steps that average people can take -- beyond likes and clicks and "vote with your dollar" -- to get involved with the causes they care about. As we consider what solidarity looks like in a time of overwhelming challenges, he passes on practical tactics that stand the test of time and lets listeners know how they can involve themselves directly with Equal Exchange's organizing work.
Nicole Vitello Podcast The post Episode 36 – Nicole Vitello, President – Produce Division, Equal Exchange first appeared on Y on Earth Community.
Join me for a special edition of the podcast as we feature exciting moments from the Fair Trade Federation Conference in Austin, Texas. I'll recap my favorite stories, brands, and personalities from the week. Things You Don't Want To Miss: Llenay Ferretti, Acting CEO Of Ten Thousand Villages. 2:41- Llenay Ferretti has been involved in fair trade for years. She gave a presentation outlining the research surrounding consumer markets as well as the information gap between the consumer's understanding of fair trade and what they value. Reshaping The Story. 3:28 - Llenay discuses Ten Thousand Villages' efforts to bring its mission into the modern age. They created the Maker to Market Movement, and they now encourage consumers to connect to ten thousand villages around the world. Liz Bohannon, Founder Of Sseko Designs. 5:00 - Liz Bohannon encourages us to use design thinking to build better businesses and in turn, a better world. The Myth Of Preparation. 5:56 - The idea that we can perfectly design a product is a myth. Every solution we have is simply a stepping stone to a more relevant, more robust solution. If you want to improve your ideas, get them out into the marketplace. Working With Influencer Marketing. 8:50 - Kirsten Dickerson, founder of Raven + Lily, hosted a panel on partnering with influencers who will leverage their status for the good of your fair trade brand. The panel spoke on finding the right influencer for your brand and how to find influencers who are more relational with their followers. Catching Up With Shannon Riesenfeld. 12:22 - Shannon Riesenfeld is the founder of Mango + Main. Her company works with artisans in Rwanda, Haiti, and Peru to develop and distribute their products around the U.S. We caught up to discuss her journey into the world of fair trade and her recent jump into the Fair Trade Federation. Alice Grau, Global Mamas. 18:24 - Global Mamas seeks to create prosperity for African women and their families by selling their beautifully hand-crafted jewelry, apparel, and soaps. Alice Grau is the organization's creative marketing director, and she shared Global Mamas' mission to create prosperity and enable their producers to buy a car, build their own home, and educate their children. Charlie Brandes, Equal Exchange 23:55 - Equal Exchange is a producer of fair trade coffee, chocolate, and tea. Charlie Brandes works in their sales department. He spoke about Equal Exchange's goal of connecting consumers with the farmers who grow their food and the challenges or partnering with big box stores. Lucia's Imports. 28:28 - Lucia's Imports is a wholesale business that sells handmade imports from Guatemala. They design jewelry, ceramics, purses, and other products as they seek to preserve Mayan culture. Marita Miller, Pebblechild. 30:58 - Pebblechild is a fair trade organization that makes baby products while providing opportunities for employment to women in Bangladesh. It wants to enable women to work while continuing to care for their own children. Pebblechild works with about 12,000 women and keeps them from working in hazardous inner city factories. The Grain Of Rice Project. 34:28 - The Grain Of Rice Project is a non-profit ministry, which seeks to empower Kenyan people with the love of Christ by helping them become self-sufficient through employment, education, and skills training. It works within one of the largest slums in Kenya, generating income for locals by selling handmade jewelry, accessories, housewares, and decorations. Rover And Kin. 37:34 - Rover & Kin is a newly-minted fair trade fashion company. All of its clothing comes from a small, women's cooperative in West Bengal, and it centers its style around minimalist designs. Mayamam Weavers. 40:55 -Mayamam Weavers is a brand I've often talked about. Mayamam Weavers make beautiful handwoven textiles, and they seek to preserve Mayan culture while empowering women from a small cooperative in Cajolá, Guatemala. Katie Schmidt, Passion Lilie. 45:15 - Passion Lilie is a fair trade clothing line that utilizes artisanal fabrics manufactured in India. Katie Schmidt is the founder, and she leveraged her background in fashion, sewing, and textile design to provide fair wages and employment opportunities to women in India. Joy McBrien, Fair Anita. 47:57 - Fair Anita is a beautiful line of ethical jewelry and accessories. Fair Anita seeks to make ethical brands more affordable. Joy McBrien is the founder and CEO, and she wants to appeal to the average consumer. She wants to feature designs that fit into your everyday closet. Campbell Plowden, Center For Amazon Community Ecology. 50:57 - Campbell Plowden is the executive director of the Center for Amazon Community Ecology. He started the organization in an effort to help people make a living in the rainforest without cutting it down. The organization works with 15 communities as they develop and market innovative fair trade handicrafts and essential oils. A Snippet From My Talk. 54:22 - I was honored to be featured as a plenary speaker at the Fair Trade Federation Conference. I wanted to inspire fair trade warriors to continue to innovate as the Fair Trade Federation turns 25. My hope is that fair trade will one day become business as usual. Jessica Honegger, Noonday Collection. 1:00:43 - Jessica Honegger is the founder and CEO of Noonday Collection. She encouraged fair trade warriors at the conference to continue striving toward their vision of eradicating poverty and promoting fair trade principles in industries worldwide. A Memorable Moment: "I hope to see the term fair trade cease to exist in the next 25 years. Fair trade values need to become the norm." - Molly Stillman To visit the Business With Purpose website, click the link: https://www.stillbeingmolly.com/2019/04/10/business-purpose-podcast-fair-trade-federation-conference-recap/
2019 Co-op Hall of Fame Inductee, Terry Appleby is interviewed on March 28, 2019. Vernon and Terry discuss his career and many contributions to the cooperative movement. Mr. Appleby started his co-op career at Puget Consumer Co-op, in 1980. He worked in several areas at PCC, starting as a clerk, department and store management, merchandising director and general management, and also served two terms on the PCC board of directors during a period of rapid growth. After leaving PCC in 1992, he became the general manager of the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society and worked there until his retirement at the end of 2016. During his tenure at Hanover new approaches to interactions with local farmers led to significant benefits for farmers, the co-op and consumers. Three additional store locations were opened, an off-site food production facility was created, local products available to consumers dramatically increased, and revenues were increased from $15 million to $75 million. While at Hanover Mr. Appleby was involved in several cooperative efforts on both regional and local levels. He was a board member and then board president of Northeast Cooperatives (a natural food wholesaler), Equal Exchange (a co-op involved in fair trade), Associated Grocers of New England (a cooperative food wholesaler) and the National Cooperative Grocers where she also served a term as board president. He helped found the Cooperative Grocers Association of the Northeast, the National Cooperative Grocers Association, the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, Local First (a group promoting local business), and Willing Hands (a food reclamation non-profit that redistributes hundreds of tons of food to local groups and individuals in the Upper Connecticut River Valley). This interview is the first of four interview of the 2019 Cooperative Hall of Fame Inductees.
Bad news -- independent family farms are going extinct. Corporations control everything from seeds to supply and prices while chipping away at regulations that inform and protect consumers. It has left the independent food economy especially farmers, devoid of oxygen. How can we change the rules of the game? In this episode, join Joe Maxwell, executive director of the Organization for Competitive Markets as he explains how Big Food hurts American farmers, workers, and shoppers. We discuss how Joe's history as a hog farmer and legislator has shaped his work in the food system. Learn about how Equal Exchange is working with OCM on a bill to support the independent food economy and how you can get involved, too.
Lots of us like to fantasize about what a career in chocolate might be like. In this episode, Dary Goodrich gets real with us about his job as Chocolate Products Manager. Learn about the process for developing delicious new bars, like the intense 92% cacao Total Eclipse Dark Chocolate, and about the challenge of sourcing cacao from small-scale farmers in West Africa for the first time.
On this episode of the Growing with Purpose podcast, host Paul Spiegelman talks with Rob Everts, Co-Executive Director of Equal Exchange, a worker-owned cooperative and online marketplace for fair trade goods. Equal Exchange is the oldest and largest fair-trade coffee company in the U.S. and one of the most successful worker-owned cooperatives in the country. Driven by its core principle of people over profit, the co-op has over 120 worker-owners, each with an equal stake — and an equal vote — in the business. From open-book management to an energizing core purpose, Equal Exchange has established itself as one of the most inspiring examples of a Small Giant in the business world today. In this episode, hear how Rob first fell into activism as a high schooler and the path that led him to join forces with Equal Exchange. Plus, Rob explains in simple terms how worker cooperatives function and the ins and outs of employee ownership under this model.
This week comes from day two at Start.coop where the guest speaker was Jonathan Rosenthal, co-founder of Equal Exchange, a $70M, Boston-based worker co-op that pioneered the idea of fair trade food. In the podcast, Jonathan and I talk about why a worker co-op, how that works in practice, the pros and cons of that structure, and a host of other topics. Equal Exchange- equalexchange.coop Post your questions to www.quora.com/profile/Luni-Libes Read the books at lunarmobiscuit.com/the-next-step See the results of The Next Step at youtube.com/fledgellc More advice at lunarmobiscuit.com/blog Music by Kevin MacLeod - incompetech.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/next-step-for-entrepreneurs/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/next-step-for-entrepreneurs/support
Huy Nguyen joined me for a German meal inspired by FullMetal Alchemist! Pulling from my heritage, we ate jågerschnitzel and spåtzle. We talked about anime, brotherhood, being an older sibling, and Huy’s patent pending ThimblePot. Become a Patreon Member for tons of extra content and deals here: www.patreon.com/user?u=13865635 Get a free audiobook here: audibletrial.com/cookthebookspodcast Like on Facebook to be part of the conversation here: www.facebook.com/cookthebookspodcast/ Follow on Instagram for pics of the meals here: www.instagram.com/cookthebookspodcast/
Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Sharon Salzberg for a special teaching from the Annual New Year's Tibet House US Dharma and Yoga Retreat held at Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in Phoenicia, New York for a teaching on the Buddha's Eight Fold Path. Opening with a dedication to Sharon Salzberg for her selfless history of teaching, on helping to establish the Tibet House US center Menla and how she was transmitted the "Equal Exchange of Self for Other" teachings by Lama Khunu on her first visit to India, Professor Thurman leads a discussion and guided meditation on the Buddhist Eight Fold Path for people of all traditions, backgrounds or levels of interest. Podcast includes a discussion of emptiness, motivation, reincarnation, the centrality of causation to understanding the Eight Fold Path, a re-telling of the myth of the Buddhist Kingdom of Shambhala, highlighting it's multi-faith, inter-sectional diversity, a recommendation of the Bill Murphy movie "What About Bob?" and an exploration of how shifting the traditional translation away from an moral framing of right/wrong to realistic/unrealistic (i.e Right Livelihood vs Realistic Livelihood) can help reveal the spiritual path as the Buddha taught to mendicants, merchants and all sensitive beings of his time. Second half of this week's episode is a complete introduction to the Eight Fold Path by Robert Thurman with a break down of each of it's branches, including the mental and physical aspects in modern language. In this week’s Bob Thurman podcast poetry segment Gary Gach reads the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Menla and the Buddha's Eight Fold Path - Ep. 193 was excerpted from the Tibet House US Member Archive’s Annual New Year’s “Real Love Meditation & Yoga Retreat” with Robert A.F. Thurman & Sharon Salzberg recorded Dec 2015 at Menla in Phoenicia, New York. To learn about this annual event, please visit: www.menla.us. This week’s episode’s of the Bob Thurman Podcast was brought to you in part through the support of the Tibet House US Membership Community and Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in Phoenicia, New York. Gary Gregory Gach is an author, translator, and editor living in San Francisco. A dynamic speaker and teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism his works include the anthology “What Book!? Buddha Poems from Beat to Hiphop” and the forthcoming “Pause Breathe Smile – Awakening Mindfulness When Meditation is Not Enough”. Listen to more archive recordings from from past Robert A.F. Thurman teachings + public events please consider becoming a Tibet House US member. To learn about the benefits of Tibet House US Membership please visit: www.tibethouse.us. The song ‘Dancing Ling’ by Tenzin Choegyal from the album ‘Heart Sutra‘ (2004) by Ethno Super Lounge is used on the Bob Thurman Podcast with artist’s permission, all rights reserved.
Robert A.F. Thurman is joined by Sharon Salzberg from the Annual New Year’s Tibet House US Dharma and Yoga Retreat held at Menla Retreat and Dewa Spa in Phoenicia, New York for a special teaching on the Buddha’s Eight Fold Path. Opening with a dedication to Sharon Salzberg for her selfless history of teaching, on helping to establish the Tibet House US center Menla and how she was transmitted the “Equal Exchange of Self for Other” teachings by Lama Khunu on her first visit to India, Professor Thurman leads a discussion and guided meditation on the Buddhist Eight Fold Path for people of all traditions, backgrounds or levels of interest. Podcast includes a discussion of emptiness, motivation, reincarnation, the centrality of causation to understanding the Eight Fold Path, a re-telling of the myth of the Buddhist Kingdom of Shambhala, highlighting it’s multi-faith, inter-sectional diversity, a recommendation of the Bill Murphy movie “What About Bob?” and an exploration of how shifting the traditional translation away from an moral framing of right/wrong to realistic/unrealistic (i.e Right Livelihood vs Realistic Livelihood) can help reveal the spiritual path as the Buddha taught to mendicants, merchants and all sensitive beings of his time. Second half of this week’s episode is a complete introduction to the Eight Fold Path by Robert Thurman with a break down of each of it’s branches, including the mental and physical aspects in modern language. In this week’s Bob Thurman podcast poetry segment Gary Gach reads the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Menla and the Buddha’s Eight Fold Path – Ep. 193 was excerpted from the Tibet House US Member Archive’s Annual New Year’s “Real Love Meditation & Yoga Retreat” with Robert A.F. Thurman & Sharon Salzberg recorded Dec 2015 at Menla in Phoenicia, New York. To learn about this annual event, please visit:
Bob Sager is a master connector because of his ability to always be thinking how he can add more value to others. In today's conversation, you will learn how to activate your potential and creativity through innovative thinking. You'll learn about the giving and receiving cycle and how to go beyond trying to just obtain an equal exchange. There is a way in business for everyone to walk away from a transaction feeling as if they received more than they invested. You'll learn how to price your services and whether to give discounts. We discuss the importance of avoiding the scarcity mentality in business by not thinking about how you can stand out above the competition. The only competition you should ever have is with yourself. What you learn in this episode will heighten your ability to form beneficial relationships, which will lead to greater career success.
Equal Exchange is based in Massachusetts, USA, but their chocolate is produced in Switzerland. Welcome to Chocolate Habit, a weekly chocolate review podcast for chocoholics around the world! Find more tasty bites on Instagram, at @damecacao.
About Michael Rozyne Michael Rozyne has been a marketer of small farm products for three decades. He worked on conventional and organic farms in Maine, and was Purchaser and Marketer for a regional food distributor in New England. He was cofounder of the fair trade coffee company, Equal Exchange. He started Red Tomato in 1996 and now works as Red Tomato’s Evangelist. He lives with his partner Kimberly and two daughters in Middleborough, Massachusetts. In addition to his continued leadership at Red Tomato, Michael connects with others in the food movement by serving on the following boards: Fair Food Loan Fund Advisory Board Northeastern Sustainable Working Group (NESAWG), Chair IPM Voice Board, Chair Food Solutions New England Board About Red Tomato Red Tomato was founded in 1996. Michael Rozyne, a co-founder of Equal Exchange, took a sabbatical from the fair trade coffee world to explore what it might look like to apply the same concepts on farms in the northeastern U.S. Local food had yet to grab the attention of consumers, retailers, food writers or policy makers. What was clear was that small- and medium-sized farmers were losing their ability to compete in an increasingly consolidated, global marketplace. Red Tomato was born out of the search for a way to connect farmers with consumers through good produce. Learn more about Red Tomato: Website Our Conversation: We discuss: Why is sustainability important in the food industry? Ideological perspectives–influencing how people think about food Learning to appreciate other’s viewpoints in the food industry (and in general) What does “Organic” actually mean when it comes to growing, farming, and selling? Pesticide usage – what does it actually mean? General pest control in the food industry Red Tomato’s “Integrated Pest Management” (IPM) What is the impact of pesticides on the environment? “Native Pollination” and honeybees Michael’s use of poetry (“rhyming”) in his public speaking Michael’s background and journey in food and so much more! Love the show? If you love our show, please support us by: Sharing it with your friends Leaving a comment on the show notes Writing a review on iTunes or Facebook Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform Donating on Patreon Contacting us to learn about sponsorship opportunities Contacting us for a feature/interview
Denise Thompson and Jessica Veldstra discuss whether Proverbs 31 should be used as a list of things for women to do or as a "you go girl" type of encouragement. They also give a shout out to Equal Exchange coffee, which women are going to need if they try to do all the things listed in Proverbs 31
Katja & Ryn discuss how these "exotic spices" came to be ubiquitous among Americans, and how we can learn from the history of plant trade, cultivation - including some bitter history and present affairs of colonization and slavery. We try to recognize and explore the chain of relationships between the farmers and ourselves, and give thanks and respect to the hands that touch these precious herbs. A few resources on ethical cacao:Ethical Consumer's shopping guide - goes over a lot of the major issues and third-party certifications (e.g. Fair Trade, Equal Exchange, UTZ, Rainforest Alliance, etc.Slave Free Chocolate13 Fair Trade Chocolate Companies For Your Conscious Cravings~ If you like our podcast, you might like learning from us in a more intentional way - like with our Herbalism 101 program! It's a great way to start incorporating herbs into your daily life, to keep you and your loved ones healthy and resilient all year round! Use the code resilience between now and July 14th to get $50 off! Our theme music is "Wings" by Nicolai Heidlas.Support the show (https://commonwealthherbs.com/supporters/)
The line up for WAV.fest has been announced by Pacific Noise Works! Returning guest and chiprock artist Nikola Whallon calls in to talk about this upcoming Night of Hardware, Chiptune, and Dance Music that will leave you in a euphoric sweat! We run down the lineup and talk about each of the groups, as well as how you can participate in this really fun event and how to support the local scene. Plus samples of each of the artist’s music! Links to topics discussed during this week’s podcast: WAV.fest (A Night of Hardware, Chiptune, and Dance Music) Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1731120616934290/ Look for WAV.fest playlists here: https://soundcloud.com/pacnoiseworks Featuring Music from: Slime Girls (Los Angeles, CA) [Sentimental Pastel Punk] https://soundcloud.com/slime-girls https://www.facebook.com/SlimeGirls Sample track: Until it Feels Like Home: https://soundcloud.com/slime-girls/until-it-feels-like-home Snesei (Detroit, MI) [DMG Bangers] https://soundcloud.com/snesei https://www.facebook.com/Snesei Sample track: Equal Exchange: https://soundcloud.com/snesei/equal-exchange Graz (Seattle, WA) [Electronic Ravepunk] https://soundcloud.com/grazcore https://www.facebook.com/grazcore Sample track: Monolith: https://soundcloud.com/grazcore/graz-monolith-out-now-on-ravertooth-tiger glooms (Seattle, WA) [Live Hardware Dance] https://soundcloud.com/glooms Sample track: Vanilla Dome (album preview): https://soundcloud.com/datafruits/glooms-vanilla-dome-previews-out-4202018 Nikola Whallon (Seattle, WA) [Infectious Chiprock] https://www.facebook.com/nikolawhallon https://soundcloud.com/nikola-whallon Sample track: Rockboy: https://soundcloud.com/nikola-whallon/rockboy Plus visuals By: Apocryphal Bear (Seattle, WA) https://www.facebook.com/Apocryphal.Bear +MORE TBA ----------------------------------------------------------- Other shoutouts and links: Learn more about KGRG and summer radio classes at Green River College: http://www.kgrg.com/2017/01/11/courses-offered-summer-quarter/ Dalibor’s music on Soundcloud: @dalibor-music Shubzilla, Bill Beats June 8th at Funhouse: https://www.facebook.com/events/1863239793749444/ Crunk Witch, Shubzilla, Nikola Whallon, Steve June 14th at Skylark: https://www.facebook.com/events/439954569750887/ Vanfest & Vanfest 8: https://www.facebook.com/VanFestWA/ Like, Share, Rate, and Review the podcast wherever you find it, and help the show grow by writing a review on Apple Podcasts. I'll read your reviews on the air and give you a shout-out!
We're fascinated by the ways in which we can apply tried-and-true business models and structures, while reimagining them for today's economy. On this episode of The Tidbit, we sit down with Rodney North — formerly the “answer man” of Equal Exchange, a democratically owned and governed worker co-operative with 150+ worker-owners and approximately $60M in annual revenue. Tune in to learn the history of co-ops and best practices on how to start one.
In this episode of the Roast and Reason podcast I will discuss the coffee and Fair Trade industry with an expert with decades of experience. We briefly highlighted the different coffee certification programs in the last episode. Today we will take a closer look at Fair Trade. Tom Hanlon-Wilde has year of experience helping bring Fair Trade coffee and other products to market and partnering with coffee growers to improve their products and lives. Tom is a member and co-owner of Equal Exchange, the employee-owned coop here in America that offers Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate and other products in grocery stores and on their website equalexchange.coop. I encourage you to support Equal Exchange and other Fair Trade organizations. Use your purchases to vote with your dollars and help create the world that you want to live in.
Everything Co-op, is a radio show that airs on WOL, Radio One's premiere talk show station. The show features people who have influenced or participated in the advancement of the cooperative business model to change lives and/or help people to leverage cooperation, for the betterment of others.
Everything Co-ops Host, Vernon Oakes, interviews Rodney North, Cooperative Consultant, and member of the DC Cooperative Stakeholders Group. Vernon and Rodney discuss events and initiatives of the Stakeholders Group, their upcoming workshop, “How Co-ops Strengthen Neighborhoods,” and the DC Anchor Partnership. Rodney North has spent more than two decades in co-ops, helping co-ops, or advocating for the co-op model, and usually was doing all three at the same time. Today Rodney is consultant to cooperatives, and an active member of the DC Cooperative Stakeholders Group. This is a group of local people and institutions who have been meeting for the last six months - thanks to support from the city's Department of Small and Local Business Development - to explore ways to strengthen and support co-ops in the city. The city is supporting this effort because business cooperatives are one thread in the city's overall economic development strategy. Before returning to the DC area in 2015 Rodney spent 20 years as part of Equal Exchange - one of the nation's largest, most successful, and influential worker-owned cooperatives. You may know Equal Exchange for its brand of organic Fair Trade coffee, chocolate or other foods. But it is also a $65 million dollar enterprise 100% owned and controlled by the 150 men and women who work there. Rodney held many roles there: Vice chair of the board of directors, worker-owner, staff trainer and other leadership positions. But he was best known as The Answer Man. He was called the Answer Man for many reasons, but especially because so often when people - inside or outside the co-op - needed answers Rodney was there to help, drawing on his many years of experience and his wide knowledge of the issues that mattered to Equal Exchange, its customers and it the thousands of farmers that supplied his co-op.
Vernon interviews RJ Taylor, Board Chair for Equal Exchange, and Sales representative based om Virginia. Vernon and RJ discuss the organizational structure of Equal Exchange, Fair Trade, the relevancy of being involved in a purpose driven business, and the concept of voting with your dollars.
Vernon interviews Beth Ann Caspersen, Quality Control Manager at the Equal Exchange Cooperative. She is a sensory specialist and manages Equal Exchange's coffee quality from the point of origin through to the finished product. She has a B.A. in Anthropology from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, is a graduate of the Sensory Science and Consumer Testing certificate program at UC Davis and has been with Equal Exchange for more than 17 years.
Vernon Interviews Rodney North, Public Relations Manager for Equal Exchange, a 100+ person worker co-operative. Rodney joined Equal Exchange 19 years ago and has been a member of the co-op for 17 years. During this time the co-op has grown into a $55 million enterprise, best known for its Fair Trade coffee, tea & chocolate. North has held a variety of other roles within the co-op.
Luckily we have a solid foundation when we want to choose healthier food, grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and produced without thousands of potentially harmful ingredients and additives such as colorings, preservatives, flavor enhancers, or gmo’s, that are allowed in non-organic foods. The "organic" label is a federally regulated standard, focused on the healthy production of food. What organic does not address, however, are social equality, farm worker pay, or fair trade. For these aspects of food production, we are reliant on additional third-party certification agencies and organizations that have made social and environmental justice in food production their main focus. Today we have one of the leading associations with exactly this focus as a guest on our show – Equal Exchange. Guest: Nicole Vitello, President Oke USA/Equal Exchange Bananas, Equal Exchange, West Bridgewater, MA
On this episode of the Sustainable Dish Podcast I speak with Nicole Vitelo and Jessica Jones Hughes of Equal Exchange.
TOPICThe Impact of Trade Deals in America IN THIS EPISODE[02:36] Introduction of Rodney North. [03:13] Rodney shares about when he became passionate about fair trade. [04:27] Rodney explains the mission of Fairtrade America. [05:54] Rodney describes the coffee-focused project Fairtrade America is involved in. [07:45] Is there a corollary within the tea industry for those who don’t drink coffee? [09:24] Why is fair trade an important issue for working-class and lower-income Americans? [10:24] How would you define “fair trade”? [13:33] Rodney explains NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). [16:15] How do trade deals impact the environment, working-class Americans, and our communities? [18:52] Is it possible to structure a trade deal when the cost-of-living imbalance is so great on a global scale? [23:03] If people don’t understand the value of organized labor and being paid a fair wage, are they able to understand what’s happening with the undermining of workers in other parts of the world? [26:07] Where can listeners learn more about Fairtrade America? [26:48] Rodney shares one change that would lead to smarter, more sustainable, and more equitable communities. [27:40] Rodney describes the action listeners can take to help build a more equitable and sustainable future. [28:52] Rodney explains what trade looks like 30 years from now. GUESTRodney North is Fairtrade America’s Director of Marketing and External Relations. Rodney oversees Fairtrade America’s marketing, public relations and advocacy efforts to increase awareness and support for equitable business practices involving smallholder farmers and other stakeholders. He has worked in the fair trade foods movement longer than all but a handful of individuals in the nation and has been deeply involved in communicating the fair trade story to diverse constituencies. Prior to his role at Fairtrade America, Rodney worked for Equal Exchange, a worker-owned cooperative and market leader in the fair trade and organic food movements. North joined the pioneering company in 1996, serving in various positions, including for the past 15 years in media relations and public advocacy roles. He earned the nickname The Answer Man because of his extensive knowledge of fair trade, the global food industry, small farmer co-operatives, socially responsible and sustainable business practices, and how business models intersect with human development. At Equal Exchange, North was also one of the co-operative’s 120 worker-owners. He was a two-term director of the enterprise’s Board of Directors, and he served as Vice Chair for three years. North has also volunteered with the Fair Trade Federation (membership screening committee), and for four years was an advisor to the board of directors of La Siembra, a Canadian worker co-operative and 100% fair trade, 100% organic food company. ORGANIZATIONFairtrade America is a national, nonprofit organization committed to helping smallholder farmers and workers around the world get a fairer price for their products, access to international markets, and funds for community development that will enable them to lead better lives, and invest in their communities. Fairtrade America is a member of Fairtrade International, which comprises 25 such organizations around the world and three producer networks that together establish international Fairtrade standards. Fairtrade International is unusual among ethical certifications due to the large governance role played by its members in the global south. Participating farmer producer groups hold half the votes in the Fairtrade International General Assembly and more than one-third of the seats on the Fairtrade International board of directors. The Fairtrade Mark is the most recognized and trusted ethical label worldwide, found on products sold in over 120 countries that are sourced from over 1,200 producer organizations representing 1.5 million farmers and workers in more than 65 countries. The
Branding is super important to your agricultural business whether you are on one acre or one thousand. Branding is not just for the big guys. These days people are even developing personal brands to clearly define how the are represented in the world. I have worked on developing my brand for years. I have stumbled, fumbled, and walked blindly through a mess of unclear definition(s) to reach the point where I am today. This episode is to help you not waste the same time that I did when it comes to developing your farm's brand. Defining the fundamentals of why you are farming and what your farm means to you and your customers is the most crucial step when starting your farm business. You brand is your business, plain and simple. Right click to download the MP3 In this farm podcast you will learn: What a brand actually is How you can start to define and develop your farm brand Branding is not just for large corporations How to choose a farm name Define your customers tangible and intangible motivations Defining the similarities and differences in your competition and how to leverage it How to better rank in search engines with your farm website Interview with Myrna Greenfield of Good Egg Marketing Good Egg Marketing is a Massachusetts-based business that specializes in promoting good food and good causes. Good Egg was hatched by Myrna Greenfield, a seasoned marketer with a passion for sharing good food, helping people, and making marketing fun. A “good egg” is a phrase that is typically used to describe a “good person,” someone who likes to help others. A good egg is also an egg that is safe to eat and tastes good. And any egg that deserves to be called good should also be humanely and sustainably produced. Good Egg Marketing aspires to be all of these things: helpful, safe, tasty (tasteful), humane and sustainable. Good Egg clients are based in Massachusetts and nationally, and include farms and food enterprises, small businesses, nonprofits, and consultants. Founder and “Top Egg” Myrna Greenfield works with associates in graphic design, web development, video production, and social media to create effective, affordable marketing campaigns.While Good Egg Marketing is particularly devoted to working with businesses and organizations that produce, provide or promote delicious, healthy, sustainable food for all, it offers services to anyone who is a good egg. Greenfield has worked in the food and beverage, publishing, health care, and hi-tech industries, and was employee #1 at Equal Exchange, a Fair Trade coffee company. She’s the former director of Communications and Campaigns at Oxfam America and served at many other non-profits, including the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Fenway Community Health, and the Child Care Resource Center. Items mentioned in this farm podcast include: Good Egg Marketing Pesco-Vegtarian Times VistaPrint for printed marketing materials FoodCyclist Farm Fiverr.com Creating your own farm website, free tutorial Take aways: Have you clearly defined what your story is? If you have, how are you telling that story to your customers? Is it effectively reaching the right people? Do you have a farm website to help you tell your story? -- My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show. Click to subscrible to iTunes Click to Subscribe via RSS (non-iTunes Feed) Support the podcast with $1 a month
Many children are exploited and forced to work on cocoa plantations in countries in Africa and South America. Join us for a conversation with Equal Exchange and Fairtrade America to learn more about how you can join the Fair Trade movement and end labor trafficking. After listening, do some research on Fair Trade products at equalexchange.coop.
This week on The Farm Report, host Erin Fairbanks talks with Nicole Vitello, Banana Coordinator at Equal Exchange. On this episode, Nicole talks about the food and fair trade industry, and how large corporations are easily able to control the market, leaving the consumer with less choices, the farmer with less profit, and an upbringing of unnatural products. This has been an ongoing issue especially within the world of avocados, which have risen in demand throughout the United States. Learn more about the behind the scenes of avocado production, from their regulations and inspections, to their arrival at your local market on today’s episode of The Farm Report! This program has been sponsored by Cain Vainyard & Winery “You’re starting to see better avocados out there. Volume is driving these imports, and you can [now] basically get fresher supply continually.” [30:10] — Nicole Vitello on The Farm Report
We’re going beyond the peel on this week’s episode of The Farm Report as Erin Fairbanks hosts the Banana Coordinator at Equal Exchange, Nicole Vitello. Did you know the banana is actually an herb? Nicole discusses all things banana from organic farming to transport and sale. There’s a banana revolution afoot and Nicole shares her knowledge about the radical turn towards fair trade exchange and the market’s reaction to this push. The banana has been a staple of the kitchen table for as long as anyone can remember and Nicole talks about the process that brings each banana to our home. Tune and learn everything there is to know about the banana because Nicole really knows her stuff! This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard and Winery. “Bananas are a genetic clone…the plant is constantly reproducing from itself.. the plant can’t evolve.” [5:50] “It’s a man – over – nature process to get the perfect banana…I cant think of any other product that actually trades that way.” [7:34] “Fair trade was designed as tool to link producers with importing companies and also open up that line of trade to have certain securities. Fair trade sets a minimum price for bananas which no importer can pay below. On top of that, one dollar per 40lb box goes back to the producers coop as a social premium.” [21:10] ## –Nicole Vitello, Banana Coordinator at Equal Exchange on The Farm Report
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 Report
Our panel of leading actors -- David Alan Grier, Tony Award winner Anthony Lapaglia (1998 for Best Actor in A View From The Bridge), Laura Linney, Jan Maxwell and Alfred Molina -- shared their process about what they look for in a script; the kind and extent of the research they do for a role; how the audience influences their performance; handling a director's return to the show after opening; their collaboration with both the director and the playwright; and what they've learned that they'd share with actors just starting out.
Our panel of leading actors - David Alan Grier, Anthony LaPaglia, Laura Linney, Jan Maxwell and Alfred Molina - shared their process about what they look for in a script; the kind and extent of the research they do for a role; how the audience influences their performance; handling a director's return to the show after opening; their collaboration with both the director and the playwright; and what they've learned that they'd share with actors just starting out.