Life is not fair, so, why should coffee be fair? Well, it is not exactly 'fair' but simply reasonable. It means that the coffee growers are getting a fair price and a living wage. Most coffee is sold at a price far higher than cost so coffee retailers do not 'have' to buy it so cheaply. Desparate farmers are bringing the market price down low and while they are starving the retailers are profiting. Grotesque. Coffee is considered fair if it is:

1)Purchased directly from small farmers organized into democratically run cooperatives

2)Guarantees a floor price when world market prices are low

3) Offers farmers advance prefinancing (credit) to help cover harvest costs

4) Develops long-term trading relationships between importers and farmer cooperatives.

Most coffee retailers sell Fair Trade Coffee at a premium. Why? Because customers are willing to pay more for a socially responsable product. The more expensive cost is only a small fraction of the price hike.

In North America and Europe, we have all kinds of regulatory agencies (Dairy Council ect.) that ensure that our farmers get paid enough, so why shouldn't that happen in developing countries as well?