SANTA CRUZ, CA - The importance of the workforce in the fresh produce industry cannot be overstated, and showing its support of working conditions in relation to its commodities, Awe Sum Organics has announced that it will continue offering Fair Trade USA Certified fruit. The company currently produces Fair Trade Certified organic grapes, apples, and pears and through distribution will be collecting money to give back to local communities.
“Awe Sum Organics offers Organic and Fair Trade USA Certified fruit! We feel it is important to give back to the local communities that are involved in growing, harvesting, packing, and shipping our Awe Sum Organic fruit. Since 2015, through the sale of our Awe Sum Organic Fair Trade and Fair for Life Certified fruit, over $1.4 million U.S. dollars have been collected by Awe Sum Organics and distributed back to the local communities where our organic fruit is produced,” said David Posner, President, CEO, and Founder of Awe Sum Organics.
From the sale of Awe Sum Organic’s Fair Trade Certified products from January 2020 through April 2021, the company has already collected over $88,000 in Fair Trade Community Development Funds. According to a press release, the money will be sent back to local communities and workers in the supply chain to invest in projects that improve lives and address their needs. The funds will also help manage challenges presented by COVID-19 by providing PPE, healthcare personnel, and helping families in quarantine.
By purchasing Fair Trade products from Awe Sum, customers and consumers are contributing to communities in countries such as Peru, Argentina, and Chile, all of which play a key role in the agricultural industry and in which U.S. dollars have a greater value. The money will contribute to expanding access to education, health services, sanitation facilities, and other community infrastructure.
Since 2004, the Fair Trade Certified produce program has generated over $56 million in Community Development funds that farm workers invested into projects such as education, healthcare, housing improvements, infrastructure, and more. And since 1998, Fair Trade Certified producers have collected $465 million in Community Development Funds.
Fair Trade USA ensures a Social Premium of $.02–$.05 per lb of the sales price, depending on the variety of fruit, which is then returned to worker communities for all Fair Trade Certified fruit that is packed and sold as Fair Trade. Each worker community elects a committee that decides what qualifying projects the Social Premium will be used for each year. The criteria for qualifying projects are structured to directly improve worker livelihood.
Cheers to Awe Sum Organics for helping make such an impact in the lives of local communities!
