Sugar, Sucre, Azucar



The Fanjul family has controlled the American Sugar Trade since the 70's. They're single handedly responsible for the destruction of the Florida Everglades in my lifetime. Their treatment of the macheteros (cane cutters) that work their plantations is shockingly subhuman. Hand in hand with most other huge agri-business, the Fanjuls have spent years and untold thousands of dollars fighting the United Farm Workers and making sure that big sugar lobbyists passed legislation allowing them to continue to exploit their workers.

At work, I've stopped using Florida Crystals and switched to the sugar we use here at home, our house brand Vegan Cane Sugar. It's imported from Malawi (a democratic republic in southeastern Africa), one of the "world's least developed and most densely populated" countries. Their per capita GDP is $800 USD. Ours is $44,000. Guilty much? Me too.

Buying Organic Fair Trade sugar from economically depressed third world countries gives the cane cutters and processors an opportunity for better working conditions, more pay, and the skill sets to grow sustainable crops. Fair Trade isn't just yuppie bullshit, it has a measurable impact on the lives of the poorest people on our planet.

If you'd like, please read more about the current state of the sugar industry in America and what you can do to support Fair Trade products.

Post Script - I should point out that Big Sugar is still less evil than Big Corn, so you should still choose Cane Sugar based products over High Fucktose Corn Syrup.
- posted by Mason @ 9:41 PM