What's Fair Trade, and why do I want it in my coffee?

Several years ago, someone introduced my father to Fair Trade coffee.  Unfortunately, it was not a brand that he liked the taste of, so he always assumed that "Fair Trade" would somehow negatively affect the taste of the coffee.  So when I started getting Fair Trade certified k-cups, I started to wonder how many people really know what Fair Trade means.  Have you ever thought about how your coffee gets to you?  Before anyone ground the beans, or roasted them, someone had to grow those beans.  So often that bag of coffee that cost you 7 or 8 dollars was purchased for pennies and the people who did the hardest labor don't make a livable wage.  This problem is what Fair Trade tries to avoid.  By paying the growers a fair price, the growers make a livable wage. While this might end up making your cup a little bit more expensive, isn't it worth it?  Knowing that the people who worked so hard to grow your coffee haven't been taken advantage of and have been dealt with fairly is peace of mind that is worth a few extra pennies a cup!!  That being said, it is important to know that just because something is not stamped Fair Trade Certified, does not automatically mean that it is "unfair" trade.  The certification standards are stringent and include environmental issues as well, therefore some companies may fall short of the certification requirements, but still be paying a fair price.  So the next time you see a Fair Trade Certified coffee, you can feel good that this cup helped hard working people earn a fair wage, and that makes it taste better to me!!