Does Fair Trade Mean Organic and Vice Versa?

We hear these words all the time and by now, you're surely familiar with the term organic and likely familiar with the term Fair Trade certified as well. But does Fair Trade mean that the product was grown organically and does organic mean that those that produced your foods were treated fairly? Not necessarily.

These labels both make us think that we're making conscious choices. And we are, but at the same time they are not interchangeable terms.The organic label certifies how food is grown; it does not denote fair labor practices. Fair Trade does not always mean that foods are grown organically.

Environmental Sustainabilty and Fair Trade

However, there is a link between Fair Trade and sustainably grown. Fair Trade USA has environmental standards and incentivises organic farming by offering more money for organic products so the practices are often more attractive to farmers who are working as part of a Fair Trade program. About half of all Fair Trade certified products are organic.

Here are the Fair Trade environmental standards, according to Fair Trade USA:

- Protecting water resources and natural vegetation areas

- Promoting agricultural diversification, erosion control, and no slash and burn

- Restricting the use of pesticides and fertilizers

- Banning use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

- Requiring proper management of waste, water and energy

While some of them are vague, no GMOs is nice to hear. And 50 percent organic is a pretty large margin.

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