Healdsburg OK'd as First Sonoma County 'Fair Trade Town'

Healdsburg leaders said "yea" five times to give unanimous approval Tuesday night to a resolution designating the city as a

"I believe in this program," said City Councilman Steve Babb. "It's ideal for Healdsburg.

"As a city, we believe in fairness for the people around us and within us," he added. "This seems to fit."

Tuesday's vote means Healdsburg will become the first Fair Trade Town in Sonoma County. It indicates the city supports the concept of Fair Trade, which hinges on favoring products that are made and shipped from foreign companies where there are healthy working conditions and fair labor practices.

It also means the town has met a quota of one store that carries Fair Trade products for every 5,000 in population. Healdsburg, with 12 stores that carry such products, and a population of 11,250, was qualified well in advance, said Ray Ballestero, proprietor of store in Healdsburg.

"This town was already ready," Ballestero said Tuesday. "We had all the criteria in place."

Healdsburg's resolution, posted at right and on the city website, calls for city staff to select imported Fair Trade products, such as bananas and coffee, when they have a choice in purchasing -- such as for a public event or in city offices.

Ballestero and other local Fair Trade supporters, who first said more than 200 residents and 18 retailers signed a petition supporting the city resolution. Supporters said they are aligned with Fair Trade USA, a national group.

Ballestero said he has set up several speaking engagements at Healdsburg civic clubs, churches and the Progressive Club to help educate the public on the concept of Fair Trade. His group also has a blog to improve public awareness.

Gretchen Specht of Asti, a Fair Trade educator for the Healdsburg group, said she will represent Healdsburg at a national conference later this month in Philadelphia.

"It's exciting that I will have this good news to announce at the conference," she said, referring to Tuesday's City Council approval.

According to an article in the Press Democrat, some people are skeptical about the Fair Trade concept, seeing it more as a marketing ploy than a humanitarian awareness movement. But people who have witnessed poor working conditions in Third World countries said they have seen that Fair Trade support makes a difference, the article said.

To read the Press Democrat article, click here.

Ballestero said two Healdsburg stores have added their names to the list of 10 announced last month as already carrying Fair Trade products. Those are: Le Coupe Sauvage Salon and , he said.

To see the list of the other 10 stores,