Recently I came across the article The Ugly Truth Behind Organic Food and it was one of the few places where I've seen a well thought out piece related to the facts concerning organic labor implications.  As someone that has been working with food and agricultural workers around the world producing for companies like Wal-Mart, Dole, and DelMonte, I have heard workers over and over again talk about the labor rights violations in the fields.  And generally speaking the workers are treated the same on conventional and organic farms and processing facilities.  

Here is an excerpt from the Ugly Truth Behind Organic Food:

The social-movement component of organic farming, however, has been
largely discarded. What's left, to a large degree, is quaint packaging
that's strategically conceived and mass marketed to lure consumers into
thinking big organic agriculture is really a sustainable mom-and-pop
deal. The demand for organics continues to skyrocket, even under dismal
economic conditions.

Many organic growers have responded by
continuing to expand their operations and behaving similarly to their
conventional counterparts. Market forces have also encouraged
conventional growers to join the profitable organics movement (e.g.
Driscoll's Berries and Tanimura and Antle). Many organic growers are
promulgating the status quo in an industry that has kept its costs low
by oppressing its workers.

All of this leads me back to the complications surrounding the massive increase in consumer facing labels and other efforts to make a product appear more ethical than its counterparts.  ILRF recently produced the Roadmap for Ethical Product Certification and Standard Setting Initiatives which clearly lays out the minimum requirement for any initiative claiming to support workers.  Our roadmap also focuses on the systemic problems that must be addressed by any ethical standard such as having a minimum buyer requirement in order to make sure they have enough buying power to encourage compliance with standards.

For me at the end of the day, I want a product that isn't checked out once a year which is often the requirement though sometimes two years can pass before a company is looked into.  I want a product with ethical labels that mean something.  As a consumer I want to know that I'm paying a higher price not just to refuel the marketing budget but rather to make sure that workers have healthcare and living wages.  I want to know that workers have access to a union if they choose which means they receive trainings on what the laws are around forming a union and negotiating a contract.  I want to know that when a concern is expressed by a worker, it is taken seriously by the standard or label.

My last comment is concerning prices and from what I've seen, the prices often quoted to consumers do NOT adequately reflect the true costs of what it takes to produce a product that is truly sustainable to the community, laborers and environment.  I want to challenge companies to actually show the math on their websites.  I want to see how the companies develop their prices in a way that doesn't externalize costs to labor and environment.  I continue to be amazed at how many companies and certifications supposedly demand really strong standards and yet haven't taken the time to determine the additional costs that would be incurred.  I want to know that fair trade or organic really provides living wages and funding to fulfill compliance standards.  

I'm interested in hearing how other consumers out there are making their decisions around the products they buy.  Feel free to leave a comment about your opinions on shopping.

Finally I have to do a plug for two useful lists for consumers.  The Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide is focused on apparel which is produced by unionized workers or worker owned cooperatives.  In addition the workers are paid a living wage.  Also for those wanting to cut down on consumption, ILRF has a list of ideas for the non shopper in all of us.