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Fair Trade Funds Divvied Up Amongst Farmers, They Claim Hardship
posted (December 22, 2014)
But today, most of the attention wasn't on finger pointing; it was on that Fair Trade money. As we told you, at the general membership meeting eight days ago - the farmers passed a controversial resolution to draw down on 2.5 million dollars of fair trade funds, and use it as a sort of cane country Christmas cheer. Many in the industry frowned on it - because that's not what fair trade funds are for, but today as the over five thousand cheques were cut for each and every farmer we didn't hear much objections. It works out to about 471 dollars each - not quite a king's ransom - but some much needed Christmas funds for the down and out farmers. Today Chairman Cansino told us the fact that they are down and out might qualify as fair usage:..

Ezequiel Cansino - Chair, Com of Mgmt, BSCFA
"Well I can't oppose on that. It's justified that this help for all the cane farmers be given to them because we are not in a season as yet."

Jules Vasquez
"So you all can claim that well it justifies on the ground of hardship?"

Ezequiel Cansino - Chair, Com of Mgmt, BSCFA
"Yes, that's an excuse - that's a justification."

Today the cheques for 11 branches were made out - and tomorrow the cheques for the remaining 7 branches will be cut.

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