Fair Trade Vermont? Vermont Dairy Workers Conditions - Vermont Dairy Industry
http://latinoenestadosunidos.blogspot.com/2017/07/fair-trade-vermont-vermont-dairy.html
Texto en Español mas abajo. Gracias.
With its green mountains, picturesque lakes, and winding rivers, the Sate of Vermont is a breathtakingly beautiful place to live.
Vermonters are proud of their home, and embody an unparalleled respect for its nature and people. In addition, Vermont boasts a low crime rate, low population…and great food and beer.
Vermont enjoys an impressive number of local farms that produce a wide variety of organic vegetables, fruits, and dairy products, and humanely raise grass-fed cattle, pigs, and free-range chickens and turkeys.
Cabot, Ben & Jerry's and Lake Champlain Chocolates are among the many well known, established, respected, and socially conscious companies headquartered in Vermont. These companies all derive immense benefits from Vermont’s dairy farms.
Some of the most successful Vermont brands proudly sell Fair Trade certified products. The Fair Trade Movement started many years ago as a way to improve the working conditions on global and national farms, as well as to regulate the way goods are produced.
As Fair Trade USA states on its website, Fair Trade Certified looks for Quality Products that improve lives and protects the Planet. The idea behind this is to promote safe, healthy working conditions, protect the environment, enable transparency, and empower communities to build strong, thriving businesses. When you choose products with the Fair Trade label, your day-to-day purchases can improve an entire community’s day-to-day lives.
Companies saw this as an opportunity to improve working conditions, protect the environment and promote their image.
The dairy industry in Vermont is a multi-billion dollar business. From the Vermont Agriculture web site, we can learn that Vermont has about 900 dairy farms and 100 firms processing that milk into a variety of dairy products.
Findings describe the impact of the dairy industry on Vermont’s economy, landscape, and way of life. The “Milk Matters: The Role of Dairy in Vermont” study illustrates this fact exceptionally well:
These numbers show the positive impact that the dairy industry has on Vermont’s economy.
Unfortunately, the state’s multi-billion dollar dairy industry relies on undocumented agricultural workers, and farmers admit they don’t know what they would do without this reliable workforce.
Some farm workers from Latin American countries such as Mexico and Guatemala must endure horrific working and living conditions in Vermont. Without working permits, they are vulnerable to exploitation at the hand of their employers. In some cases, VT migrant workers are provided less rights than the farm animals with which they work.
Many dairy workers are expected to work more than 14 hrs a day, and much of this work is compensated at less than minimum wage. Countless undocumented migrant workers in VT live without electricity, heat or running water. They receive no benefits or health coverage. Despite these terrible conditions, many migrant workers volunteer to participate in demonstrations, at the risk of being stopped and questioned by authorities, and subsequently deported. These are hard-working families who provide an invaluable contribution to Vermont’s multi-billion dollar industry.
It is a perfect situation for some farmers and companies, who cruelly rely on a renewable work force that can disposed of at will, without the need to provide benefits or livable conditions, or to pay fair wages.
For these reasons and many more, it is crucial that we start demanding Fair Trade certification for Vermont’s dairy farms. We are all responsible for the workers that support our economy in Vermont. These are hardworking, contributing members of our society, and they deserve to be treated as the human beings they are.
References:
http://fairtradeusa.org/what-is-fair-trade
http://agriculture.vermont.gov/food_safety_consumer_protection/milk_dairy
http://agriculture.vermont.gov/pr/new_study_highlights_the_value_of_vermonts_dairy_industry
http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/04/13/vermont-dairy-labor-migration
With its green mountains, picturesque lakes, and winding rivers, the Sate of Vermont is a breathtakingly beautiful place to live.
Vermont enjoys an impressive number of local farms that produce a wide variety of organic vegetables, fruits, and dairy products, and humanely raise grass-fed cattle, pigs, and free-range chickens and turkeys.
Cabot, Ben & Jerry's and Lake Champlain Chocolates are among the many well known, established, respected, and socially conscious companies headquartered in Vermont. These companies all derive immense benefits from Vermont’s dairy farms.
Some of the most successful Vermont brands proudly sell Fair Trade certified products. The Fair Trade Movement started many years ago as a way to improve the working conditions on global and national farms, as well as to regulate the way goods are produced.
As Fair Trade USA states on its website, Fair Trade Certified looks for Quality Products that improve lives and protects the Planet. The idea behind this is to promote safe, healthy working conditions, protect the environment, enable transparency, and empower communities to build strong, thriving businesses. When you choose products with the Fair Trade label, your day-to-day purchases can improve an entire community’s day-to-day lives.
Companies saw this as an opportunity to improve working conditions, protect the environment and promote their image.
The dairy industry in Vermont is a multi-billion dollar business. From the Vermont Agriculture web site, we can learn that Vermont has about 900 dairy farms and 100 firms processing that milk into a variety of dairy products.
Findings describe the impact of the dairy industry on Vermont’s economy, landscape, and way of life. The “Milk Matters: The Role of Dairy in Vermont” study illustrates this fact exceptionally well:
- Dairy brings $2.2 billion in economic activity to Vermont each year
- Dairy brings $3 million in circulating cash to the state, each day
- Dairy accounts for more than 70% of Vermont’s agricultural sales
- Annual sales of Vermont dairy products and by-products = $1.3 billion
- 63% of the milk produced in New England comes from Vermont
- The dairy industry provides 6000-7000 Vermont jobs
- Every cow brings $12,500 in economic activity to Vermont annually
- 97% of Vermonters say dairy farms are important to the state
- 92% of Vermonters say dairy farms add to the beauty of Vermont
- 91% of Vermonters say dairy is important to Vermont’s way of life
These numbers show the positive impact that the dairy industry has on Vermont’s economy.
Unfortunately, the state’s multi-billion dollar dairy industry relies on undocumented agricultural workers, and farmers admit they don’t know what they would do without this reliable workforce.
Some farm workers from Latin American countries such as Mexico and Guatemala must endure horrific working and living conditions in Vermont. Without working permits, they are vulnerable to exploitation at the hand of their employers. In some cases, VT migrant workers are provided less rights than the farm animals with which they work.
Many dairy workers are expected to work more than 14 hrs a day, and much of this work is compensated at less than minimum wage. Countless undocumented migrant workers in VT live without electricity, heat or running water. They receive no benefits or health coverage. Despite these terrible conditions, many migrant workers volunteer to participate in demonstrations, at the risk of being stopped and questioned by authorities, and subsequently deported. These are hard-working families who provide an invaluable contribution to Vermont’s multi-billion dollar industry.
It is a perfect situation for some farmers and companies, who cruelly rely on a renewable work force that can disposed of at will, without the need to provide benefits or livable conditions, or to pay fair wages.
For these reasons and many more, it is crucial that we start demanding Fair Trade certification for Vermont’s dairy farms. We are all responsible for the workers that support our economy in Vermont. These are hardworking, contributing members of our society, and they deserve to be treated as the human beings they are.
References:
http://fairtradeusa.org/what-is-fair-trade
http://agriculture.vermont.gov/food_safety_consumer_protection/milk_dairy
http://agriculture.vermont.gov/pr/new_study_highlights_the_value_of_vermonts_dairy_industry
http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/04/13/vermont-dairy-labor-migration
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¿Comercio justo en Vermont? - Condiciones Laborales en Tambos de Vermont - Vermont Industria Láctea
Con
sus verdes montañas, lagos pintorescos, y ríos sinuosos, el Estado
de Vermont es un lugar impresionantemente hermoso para vivir.
Los
Vermonters están orgullosos de su hogar, y poseen un respeto sin par
por su naturaleza y su gente. Además, Vermont cuenta con una baja
tasa de criminalidad, baja población ... y buena comida y cerveza.
Vermont
cuenta con un número impresionante de granjas locales que producen
una amplia variedad de verduras orgánicas, frutas y productos
lácteos, y crían ganado alimentado con pasturas, cerdos y pollos y
pavos.
Cabot,
Ben & Jerry's y Lake Champlain Chocolates son algunas de las
muchas compañías bien conocidas, establecidas, respetadas y
socialmente conscientes con sede en Vermont. Estas compañías
obtienen beneficios inmensos de las granjas lecheras (tambos) de
Vermont.
Algunas
de las marcas de Vermont más exitosas venden con orgullo productos
certificados de Comercio Justo. El movimiento de Comercio Justo
comenzó hace muchos años como una forma de mejorar las condiciones
de trabajo en las granjas internacionales y nacionales, así como
para regular la forma en que se producen los bienes.
Como
Fair Trade USA indica en su sitio web, Fair Trade Certified lucha por
productos de calidad que también ayuden a mejorar las vidas de los
trabajadores y protejan al planeta. La idea detrás de esto es
promover condiciones de trabajo seguras y saludables, proteger el
medio ambiente, permitir la transparencia y capacitar a las
comunidades para construir negocios fuertes y prósperos.
Cuando uno elige productos con la etiqueta de Comercio Justo, sus compras diarias pueden mejorar la vida cotidiana de una comunidad entera.
Cuando uno elige productos con la etiqueta de Comercio Justo, sus compras diarias pueden mejorar la vida cotidiana de una comunidad entera.
Las
empresas vieron esto como una oportunidad para mejorar las
condiciones de trabajo, proteger el medio ambiente y promover su
imagen.
La
industria láctea en Vermont es un negocio multimillonario. Desde el
sitio web de Agricultura de Vermont, podemos aprender que Vermont
tiene cerca de 900 granjas lecheras y 100 empresas que procesan esa
leche en una variedad de productos lácteos.
Los
hallazgos describen el impacto de la industria láctea en la
economía, el paisaje y el modo de vida de Vermont. El estudio "La
leche importa: el papel de los productos lácteos en Vermont "
ilustra este hecho excepcionalmente bien:
- La industria láctea aporta $ 2,2 mil millones en actividad económica a Vermont cada año
- La industria láctea aporta $ 3 millones en efectivo circulante al estado, cada día
- La industria láctea representa más del 70% de las ventas agrícolas de Vermont
- Ventas anuales de productos lácteos y subproductos de Vermont = $ 1.3 mil millones
- El 63% de la leche producida en Nueva Inglaterra proviene de Vermont
- La industria lechera provee 6000-7000 empleos en Vermont
- Cada vaca genera $ 12.500 en la actividad económica a Vermont anualmente
- El 97% de los Vermonters dicen que las granjas lecheras son importantes para el estado
- 92% de Vermonters dicen que granjas lecheras agregan belleza a Vermont
- 91% de los Vermonters dicen que la lechería es importante para el modo de vida de Vermont
Estos
números muestran el impacto positivo que la industria lechera tiene
en la economía de Vermont.
Desafortunadamente,
la industria láctea multimillonaria del estado depende de
trabajadores agrícolas indocumentados, y los agricultores reconocen
que no saben lo que harían sin esta fuerza de trabajo confiable.
Algunos
trabajadores agrícolas de países latinoamericanos como México y
Guatemala deben soportar horribles condiciones de trabajo y de vida
en Vermont. Sin permisos de trabajo, son vulnerables a la explotación
por parte de sus empleadores. En algunos casos, los trabajadores
migratorios de VT reciben menos derechos que los animales de granja
con los que trabajan.
Se
espera que muchos de estos trabajadores trabajen más de 14 horas al
día, y gran parte de este trabajo se compensa con menos del salario
mínimo. Numerosos trabajadores inmigrantes indocumentados en VT
viven sin electricidad, calor o agua corriente. No reciben beneficios
ni cobertura de salud.
A pesar de estas terribles condiciones, muchos trabajadores migrantes se ofrecen voluntariamente para participar en manifestaciones, con el riesgo de ser detenidos y cuestionados por las autoridades, y posteriormente deportados. Estas son las familias trabajadoras que proporcionan una contribución inestimable a la industria láctea multimillonaria de Vermont.
A pesar de estas terribles condiciones, muchos trabajadores migrantes se ofrecen voluntariamente para participar en manifestaciones, con el riesgo de ser detenidos y cuestionados por las autoridades, y posteriormente deportados. Estas son las familias trabajadoras que proporcionan una contribución inestimable a la industria láctea multimillonaria de Vermont.
Es
una situación perfecta para algunos agricultores y empresas, que se
apoyan cruelmente en una fuerza de trabajo renovable que puede
deshacerse a voluntad, sin necesidad de proporcionar beneficios o
condiciones habitables, ni pagar salarios justos.
Por
estas razones y muchas más, es crucial que comencemos a exigir la
certificación de Comercio Justo para las granjas lecheras de
Vermont.
Todos somos responsables de los trabajadores que apoyan nuestra economía en Vermont. Son miembros trabajadores de nuestra comunidad local que trabajan arduamente y merecen ser tratados como seres humanos.
Todos somos responsables de los trabajadores que apoyan nuestra economía en Vermont. Son miembros trabajadores de nuestra comunidad local que trabajan arduamente y merecen ser tratados como seres humanos.
Referencias:
Http://fairtradeusa.org/what-is-fair-trade
Http://agriculture.vermont.gov/food_safety_consumer_protection/milk_dairy
Http://agriculture.vermont.gov/pr/new_study_highlights_the_value_of_vermonts_dairy_industry
Http://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2017/04/13/vermont-dairy-labor-migration
Gracias for sharing this information about the working conditions of Dairy workers in Vermont, New England.
ResponderBorrarUna verdadera lástima es que los estados permitan el uso y abuso del trabajo en cualquiera de sus posibilidades y que como en éste caso, no exista defensa de estos trabajadores en su precario estado, que me animo a definir, como de esclavitud en USA.
ResponderBorrarMuy inetresante el articulo. Es momento de abrir los ojos y empezar a respetar a los trabajadores.
ResponderBorrar