At some retailers, 'fair trade' carries a high cost

By STEVE STECKLOW
The Associated Press
and
ERIN WHITE
The Wall Street Journal

At a Whole Foods Market in suburban Boston, the coffee aisle recently was lined with leaflets promising to donate 5 percent of sales to growers. Labels proclaimed that beans were "purchased in accordance with international fair trade standards." Pamphlets asked: "Is your coffee fair to farmers?"

The materials reflect a growing international campaign to pay struggling farmers in poor countries more than market rate for commodities like coffee, bananas and chocolate. The extra cash has helped thousands of farmers fund education, health-care and training projects, among other things.

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