What is "Organic and Fair Trade" Tea?

Organic and Fair Trade teas are grown by methods that respect and preserve the nature as well as the social communities where the cultivation takes place.
Teas that carry the "USA Organic" as well as the "Fair Trade Certified" labels are in a sense "products with conscience," i.e., they are tea varieties brought to your table by paying fair wages for the individual growers and by employing farming techniques that preserve the natural health and balance of the land.

These are the products grown without using harsh chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides. Thus sometimes they might be a little more expensive than their non-organic competitors but they are worth it.

The "fair trade" concept aims to eliminate the exploitation of tea and coffee growers in the developing countries, including women and children. Percentage of women engaged in non-agricultural fair trade production went up from 70% to 76% between 2004 and 2008.
"Fair trade" tries to increase the trade volume with the developing countries while monitoring and reforming the business practices of those companies that try to maximize profits at the expense of the local communities.

The amount of "fair trade" sales in 2007 was $2.6 billion, according to the International Fair Trade Association. In 2006, fair trade in tea has increased by 41%, according to the Fairtrade Labelling Organization.

Here are some sobering facts provided by the Fair Trade Federation:

A coffee farmer in a developing country typically receives 2 cents for each $3 (or 300 cents) cup of coffee latte, according to Transfair USA figures.
If the share of the African countries in the world exports could be increased by a mere 1%, that would add up to an extra revenue of $70 billion, which is five times what the continent receives in aid - according to Oxfam International's Make Trade Fair Report.

So how does this "Fair Trade" policy is implemented by U.S. importers exactly?

For every kilo of Fair Trade Certified tea purchased, the U.S. importer pays a Fair Trade premium to an elected association of workers and management, called a Joint Body, at each tea estate.

"The Joint Body allocates the premium to areas of greatest need, which is determined democratically and used for projects that benefit the entire community," according to TransFair USA.

"In the case of small-scale producer groups, this elected body is comprised of fellow farmers. Fair Trade premiums have financed new computer learning centers and educational endowments, and healthcare programs that include nutrition, family planning, special medical needs, clean drinking water and toilets for every household."
Tea is one of the "fastest growing Fair Trade Certified product categories, with Fair Trade Certified tea imports increasing an unprecedented 187% in 2005." 70 tea growing estates and producer groups in 11 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America are now "Fair Trade" certified and the number is growing every year.

The "fair trade" concept recognizes the fact that we are riding all together in this earth-ship and what hurts some of us in the short run will hurt us all in the long run in terms of a degrading environment on the one hand, and social unrest and poverty leading to global instability and strife on the other.

That's why I also support tea products that are both organically grown and cultivated according to fair trade practices.