The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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June 27, 2009

Fair Trade takes shape

By Robb Murray

NORTH MANKATO — A fair trade movement in the Mankato area that was merely hinted at several months ago has now begun to take shape.

The Mankato Area Fair Trade Initiative presented their ideas and plans for making Mankato and North Mankato the first two in Minnesota to be designated as “Fair Trade towns.”

Fair Trade, put simply, insures that the farmer who grew the coffee or other food product, or the artisan who handmade the bag or garment gets compensated fairly. In Fair Trade, more ever dollar you spend goes to the farmer or artisan.

While the notion had been discussed prior, the Mankato movement gained much of its momentum after a visit by two Peruvian artisans who spoke at Christ the King Church in Mankato.

Their stories impressed a packed room of people at the church.

“The Peruvian occasion was effectively the springboard,” said Paul Renshaw, one of the group’s organizers. “We felt we should capitalize on that and put in place an initiative to raise awareness.”

So for the area to earn the designation — which is dependent upon the cities themselves making a Fair Trade Town declaration — a good share of its retail shops, schools, churches and everything else must offer for sale or in some way use Fair Trade goods.

The goal for now is education. They hope to teach as many people as possible what Fair Trade means and how it benefits people in parts of the world where workers are exploited. Fair Trade, they say, can even be good for business. Even if a business into the profit that can be generated by a buzzword trend, the end result remains a good one.

“There’s almost nothing negative about this,” said Mark Levitt, owner of Christy’s Cafe in North Mankato.

Added Renshaw, “It’s asking people to make the most of the money they’re going to spend.”

The group also hopes to approach area businesses about offering or Fair Trade goods for sale or incorporating Fair Trade goods in their business in some way. For example, a number of churches in town already purchase Fair Trade coffee for fellowship events.

How much luck they have will determine whether they meet their goal of getting Mankato and North Mankato designated as Fair Trade towns by May 10, 2010.



The Mankato Area Fair Trade Initiative will hold its next meeting 7 p.m. Thursday at Christy’s Cafe. For more information about the group and its work call Paul Renshaw at 387-5329, Jane Dow at 625-5092, or Mark Levitt at (507) 301-2973.

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