With the awareness of the global impact of so many things we do the Fair Trade movement gained momentum and really took hold in the early 1990s, with regard to coffee and famers. Fair Trade is an organization that ensures farmers, and their workers, are paid a fair wage for their product, thus ensuring that the products will remain for years to come and that the farmers have the resources needed to keep the workers and put money back into the crops, thus producing better crops over time. Is Fair Trade the best way to go? Originally it was the only visible way that people could ensure they were supporting the farmers in regions far away from where they lived. However, over time other organizations have arisen that have also played a key role in ensuring fair wages to farmers and that the crops will be sustainable for decades to come. Ones such as Rainforest Alliance or Farmer Direct have come to the fore and Buyers and Roasters alike have embraced many of these. No longer are the farmers the last ones considered as you enjoy your favorite beverage. Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance have different objectives but the goal is the same; to ensure the product and the ones producing it are cared for so we can enjoy it for decades to come. Certification by either organization, or any other, is the key to ensuring the products you are paying for are actually what you are getting. So if you are looking for some small way to do your part look for either of these symbols on the coffee you are buying or drinking. It is a good start to ensuring you will be able to get it for years to come. By the way Starbucks Coffee now purchases nearly 100% of its coffee from Fair Trade, Organic, or its own Café Practices, a remarkable achievement based on how much coffee they buy.