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With all of my save-the-world ideals growing up, I never imagined that, one day, I would think so much about U.S. trade policy. After all, what does trade have to do with helping people? Or so I thought.
When I returned to the United States after living amid poverty and people living on the margins of society in Latin America, the question quickly became how can I not think about U.S. trade policy. Questioning trade polices is an integral part of what it means to be an advocate for our least-fortunate sisters and brothers and, ultimately, what it means to be a Christian.
I am neither an economist nor a trade expert, so I have struggled and continue to learn the ins and outs of U.S. trade policy. The complexity of the international trade has often made me want to throw my hands up and forget about it. But that would be too easy and definitely not the Christ-like response I strive to live.
Upon deeper reflection, perhaps my frustration stems not from lack of clarity about the effect of U.S. trade policy, but rather an all-too-clear understanding that changing U.S. trade policy means a change in personal lifestyle.
Changing our lifestyles means consuming less. It means prioritizing relationships. It means simpler living. Simple enough, right? Not really. When everywhere you turn, the message is “buy more and do more,” these shifts become like a butterfly in a hurricane.
The butterfly does have a chance. The upcoming U.S. presidential elections presents us with the opportunity to challenge the candidates to offer a vision to calm the hurricane that is U.S. trade policy, which is keeping so many people and the Earth from being able to fly free and have life to the fullest. The candidates must know that we feel and see the hurricane and that we call on them to find the butterfly in the storm.
So is it a matter of changing U.S. trade policy or a matter of personal lifestyle choices? I am reminded of the age-old question, “Does change come from the top or the bottom?” Perhaps in the case of trade, and probably most things in life, if change happens on both ends, we just might meet in the middle.
Peace,
Amy Woolam Echeverria
Reform in U.S. Trade is Needed
By Theresa Polk
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Pope John Paul II
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“The free market cannot be judged apart from the ends that it seeks to accomplish and from the values that it transmits on a societal level. Indeed, the market cannot find in itself the principles for its legitimization; it belongs to the conscience of individuals and to public responsibility to establish a just relationship between means and ends.”
Centesium Annus, 1991
Reflection Questions
1. What trade policies do your candidates for federal, state and local office support?
2. What affect might these policies have on your community?
3. What do you think constitutes “fair” trade?
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Trade is an important, integral part of relationships among countries. But as people of faith, we are concerned that free-trade agreements are negotiated to maximize the advancement of a wealthy and powerful few while marginalizing an ever-growing number of the poor. We believe that trade agreements should protect the most-vulnerable members of society while upholding the integrity of creation.
A host of new free-trade agreements (FTAs) are being negotiated in the wake of the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994. Each agreement seeks to expand the power and privileges of large multinational corporations.
As we look back on the decade since NAFTA took effect, we see the obvious harm, both at home and abroad, of a profit-driven trade policy. There has been greater job loss, environmental degredation, the undermining of small-scale agriculture, increasing migration, rising prices and falling wages, and the list goes on.
The repercussions of this trade model are often felt first and hardest by the poorest and people living at the margins of society. For instance, poor farming communities in developing countries cannot compete with subsidized agriculture products from the United States.
Farmers’ livelihoods are threatened as trade barriers fall, forcing many to make difficult choices to migrate. Meanwhile, labor is treated as another commodity to be traded and exploited and then discarded in the search for profit. Workers’ rights to a living wage, union representation and safe and healthful working conditions often are disregarded.
The environment, as well, is seen primarily as a source for potential profits, opening the way for the privatization and exploitation of waterways, forest, mines, oil and gas deposits and other natural resources. Even seeds, plants and traditional knowledge become a resource for exploitation, patents and profits, robbing communities of their cultural and ecological heritages.
Health, too, comes under assult as stringent patent protections will deprive many people in developing countries from access to life-saving drugs for treatable illnesses by blocking generic alternatives from the market.
We envision a new trade policy centered around human dignity and respect for creation. The rights of farmers and workers and the dignity and the fair distribution of profits should be upheld by trade agreements. Sustainable development and care for the natural world should take precedence over corporate profit.
Trade agreements should be negotiated with meaningful participation by civil society and must support fragile democracies by not undermining the government’s ability to legislate in the national interest. We emphasize that economic integration is not an end unto itself, but must be based upon principles of justice, fairness and solidarity, and promoting the well-being of all.
Columban Response:
Fair Trade for a Fairer Go
By Kathryn Boyle
Columban Father Shay Cullen is no stranger to giving people new hope and a better chance to reach their full potential. As director of the PREDA Foundation in the Subic area just north of Manila in the Philippines, Fr. Cullen has for years worked with children caught up in the dehumanizing sex trade and other dangerous situations.
In 1975, Fr. Shay’s PREDA Foundation (People’s Recovery, Empowerment and Development Assistance Foundation, Inc.) established PREDA Fair Trade. The organization was created so local people could make wicker furniture and baskets to help them improve their living and conditions and so jobless youth could be employed in a trade.
But it wasn’t until several years later that the real success story began.
Fr. Shay became aware that local small-scale mango farmers were being exploited by a price-fixing cartel of wealthy fruit exporters. The farmers had to sell their products to the cartel for ridiculously low prices or see their fruit rot on the trees.
A life of poverty makes the bright city lights attractive to young people who are often easily caught up in the seedier side of city living through necessity. Fr. Shay realized that one way to keep the children of farmers at home and safe was to improve their living conditions.
PREDA Fair Trade entered into a partnership with a struggling family who owned a dried fruit processor. This partnership then bought the mangoes directly from the farmers for a fair price and processed the chemical-free dried fruit for Fair Trade importers and ethical commercial distributors in Europe.
Although the business developed slowly at first, hard work and dedication paid off and demand for this product grew and markets expanded. After 10 years, PREDA Fair Trade was a trusted brand and the delicious, preservative-free dried mangoes were selling fast.
Soon, PREDA Fair Trade and its partners were buying hundreds of tons of fresh fruit at higher prices—depriving the cartel of cheap, exploited suppliers.
This created a fruit shortage, and cartel members were soon competing with each other for a share of the harvest that the farmers had happily brought to PREDA Fair Trade for a better price. The power of the cartel was broken, and it soon disintegrated.
Product development over the years now means that even small or poorer quality fruit can be used in mango puree and juice concentrate. This has delighted local farmers who previously couldn’t sell these fruits.
As demand grew, thousands of grafted mango trees were planted and produced fruit after five years. This project has done more than its fair share to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by the expanding mango orchards.
Today, thousands of workers earn excellent wages and benefits at the processing plant. The high quality of the produce easily qualify the fruit for ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certification. The earnings of PREDA Fair Trade go toward development assistance for the most-threatened farmers of all—the indigenous people.
This fair trade story shows how such ventures can successfully reshape lives. Over 30 years, PREDA Fair Trade has battled modern forms of slavery, encouraged workers, reduced poverty and given enormous hope and pride to its members. When you travel to Europe, keep an eye peeled for PREDA Fair Trade dried mangoes. They are delicious.
For more information about PREDA Fair Trade, see www.preda.net.
Action Alert: Presidential Candidates Need to Hear that U.S. Trade Policy must be Fair!
Many of the candidates for the U.S. presidency have offered critiques on U.S. trade policy and have heard the public's discontent over trade issues. Still, their concerns about current free-trade models and proposals are vague. The candidates need to hear from you how the environment and democratic institutions in both the United States and its trade partner nations are harmed by these policies.
The Iowa Fair Trade Campaign asked the candidates about their stance on U.S. trade issues in the lead up to the Iowa caucuses in January. The candidates’ detailed responses are available at www.iowafairtrade.org/candidates.php
Take a moment to write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper urging the candidates to provide more details about how they intend to ensure that U.S. trade policy meets basic standards of justice and fairness and promote the well-being of all, particularly the most vulnerable.
For more information, contact information for your local newspapers and suggested talking points, visit: salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/476/letter/?letter_KEY=895
The Columban JPIC Office does not endorse any particular candidate.
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Jubilee USA Network: Measure Up! Rule out Debt! Campaign
Thank you to all who made 2007 such a successful year for the Jubilee Act and debt justice. The Jubilee Act (S2166, H.R. 2634) urgently addresses extreme poverty by creating greater responsibility in lending and expanded cancellation of debts owed to the United States and the international financial institutions by impoverished countries.
As our final push for the 110th Congress to pass the Jubilee Act, we have launched our 2008 campaign to pass the Jubilee Act, Measure Up! Rule out Debt!, calling on Congress to measure up to our national commitment to end global poverty. Please take action in support of these efforts:
1) Order Measure Up! Postcards with a message to your senators and representatives urging them to co-sponsor the Jubilee Act. For more information or to order Measure Up! Postcards, please go to www.jubileeusa.org or e-mail Nathan Fishman at
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2) Finally, please mark your calendars for “Leap” into Action call-in days on February 28-29, and plan to use the ”extra” day in February to call your members of Congress (we will provide you with a call script), order Measure Up! Postcards, or download online templates to mail.
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