Boston Globe pub’d a useful article about the fair trade coffee movement today. It weaves a brief history of fair trade coffee with commentary from a number of different stakeholders.

There’s Dean Cycon, founder of the 100% fair trade Dean’s Beans that left fair trade certification back in 2003 because he felt the fair trade certification label was being watered down.

There’s Rob Everts, codirector of Equal Exchange, a 100% fair trade company that’s still working in the fair trade certification system. Rob’s quoted as saying that if large estate farms were allowed to get the fair trade sticker, Equal Exchange would be pushed to “drop the label and follow Cycon’s lead down a more stringent, independent path.”

There’s Paul Rice, CEO of TransFair USA, the company that provides the fair trade certification label for US companies. The article ends with a quote from Paul: “Frankly, from the farmer’s perspective,” says Rice, “they’re happy to sell into any corner of the fair trade market regardless of who the company is.”

Really? I beg to differ.

In any case, The Boston Globe article’s interesting read, even if it’s stuff you’ve read before. And a very helpful primer for those unsure what all the controversy surrounding fair trade certification is.

Update, 1/15/08: Dean’s Beans has now gone back to getting fair trade certified. Find out why here.

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