An End to Slavery in Florida?

History books tell us that the Emancipation Proclamation ended forced labor in the U.S. In reality, slavery has been alive and well ever since Abe Lincoln's famous speech. As Change.org previously reported, Florida's tomato workers are often subjected to extremely low wages, dangerous working conditions, violence, and even forced labor. Due to the work of one non-profit, however, the country just came a little bit closer to abolishing agricultural slavery.

As Barry Estabrook notes on his "Politics of the Plate" blog, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange announced today that it joined the Campaign for Fair Food, an initiative organized by the Coalition for Immokalee Workers (CIW), an abolitionist non-profit. The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange is a tomato-production powerhouse, representing virtually all tomato growers in the state. By joining CIW's campaign, Florida Tomato Growers Exchange will ensure that the non-profit's Fair Food Principles will be extended to about 90 percent of Florida's tomato industry. "...today we are pleased to announce that we are coming together as an industry in which it is finally possible to say that real, verifiable change is not only possible, but underway," the CIW's Lucas Benitez said during the signing of the agreement today.

Those Fair Food Principles ensure some much-needed fair labor practices for farm workers. For one, they raise the price paid to tomato farmers by one penny per pound. This might seem like chump change, but as Estabrook notes, it's the difference between earning $50 and $70 per day (or, as Estabrook puts it, "the difference between poverty and a livable (though still paltry) wage"). Embracing the Principles also requires companies to establish health and safety programs for workers, as well as a mechanism to address any complaints. The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange is the third and biggest tomato supplier to sign on to the Fair Food Fight, joining Pacific Tomato Growers and Six L's, which partnered with CIW earlier this year.

The move represents a total about-face for Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, which fewer than 10 years ago vehemently refused to join CIW's Campaign for Fair Food, arguing that paying higher wages would set suppliers at a competitive disadvantage. The tomato supplier even threatened to slap a $100,000 fine on any member tomato farmer that joined CIW's Campaign.

That was before consumers, restaurants, catering companies, and fellow tomato suppliers turned on the pressure, though. In 2005, Taco Bell became the first fast food restaurant to sign on to the Campaign for Fair Food. McDonald's, Burger King, and Subway soon joined the Mexican chain. Food distributors like Compass, Aramark, and Sodexo followed suit, and then tomato suppliers Pacific Tomato Growers and Six L's joined the cause. After pressure and intense lobbying from CIW, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange finally caved.

Not only is this development beneficial for Florida's farm workers, the victory should serve as inspiration for ethically minded consumers. Big businesses like the fast food industry, food distributors, and produce suppliers don't just care about producing meals as cheaply as possible anymore. By collectively organizing and using our purchasing power, consumers can actually push billion-dollar corporations to adopt the ethical practices we hold near and dear to our sustainable foodie hearts.

While fast food restaurants, food service providers, and tomato suppliers are all hopping on the Fair Food bandwagon, one sector of the food industry is slow to embrace slavery-free produce — supermarkets. With the exception of Whole Foods, not a single grocery store has signed onto CIW's Campaign for Fair Food. It's especially alarming that Trader Joe's — a supermarket that claims to care about environmental and social responsibility — hasn't joined the cause. Tell Trader's Joe's that Fair Food tastes better — both for workers and consumers. Sign our petition asking the grocer to join CIW's Campaign for Fair Food.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons