Moraine Park Technical College was named the first Fair Trade technical college in the U.S. in May 2015. Fair trade supports farmers and artisans in developing countries.

Fair Trade certification promises a high standard including quality products, fair pay for producers, environmentally safe practices, safe working conditions, no child labor, no human trafficking, and more.

Students can learn more about Fair Trade and enter to win a prize for Valentine’s Day at the campus libraries! Enter to win the week of February 6^th for the drawing that will be held Monday, February 13^th.

The Fair Trade Valentine prize includes a mug, cocoa, and mini chocolates.

This year, you can also support Fair Trade by signing the Fair Trade Campaign’s virtual valentine. The collective virtual valentine was created for advocates to upload valentines, gratitude messages, poems, photos, and more to be shared with farmers and workers at Fair Trade Certified™ flower farm and processing center, Florecal.

DID YOU KNOW: Less than 5 percent of the world’s cocoa is Fair Trade?

• An estimated two million children work on cocoa farms
• Farmers suffer from unstable global market prices for cocoa
• Average annual revenue for a cocoa farmer is between $30 and $100

Fair Trade Cocoa
• Fair Trade standards prohibit forced and child labor
• A minimum price provides greater economic stability
• Farmers earn additional income from the Fair Trade community development premium

October is Fair Trade Month.

*Please help raise awareness by buying, eating and sharing only Fair Trade certified chocolate. *Stop in at any of our 3 MPTC campus libraries this October to sample some delicious Fair Trade chocolate and find out more!

Find out more about MPTC Fair Trade College.

Need a little break from all that studying? Have you heard that stressed is really desserts spelled backwards? Your MPTC Campus Library is the place to get a little relief during this crazy finals time end of the semester! Stop in during regular library hours from May 2 – 20 for a tasty bite of Fair Trade chocolate and grab an Alta Gracia Fair Trade MPTC t-shirt (while supplies last). Our libraries will also have extra resources available for study skills and stress management.

Did you know Moraine Park is a Fair Trade College? Actually we are the very first Fair Trade technical college in the U.S. Way to go MPTC! We are now celebrating 7 years as a Fair Trade College! World Fair Trade Day is May 14. Let’s all celebrate and choose FAIR! You can find Fair Trade coffee and Honest Tea at MPTC cafeterias.

Fair trade supports farmers and artisans in developing countries who are socially and economically marginalized. Fair Trade is about making a tremendous impact on artisan and farmer communities while offering great products to the public all around the world. Fair Trade certification promises quality products, fair pay for producers, environmentally sustainable practices, safe and empowering working conditions, no child labor, no human trafficking and more.

All staff and students are invited to join our MPTC Cultural Connections team for a virtual tropical getaway! Enjoy some Fair Trade chocolate and coffee while you experience a virtual 3D tour of some beautiful and warm tropical locations!

RSVP here to join any of our upcoming dates.

MPTC Cultural Connections is an exciting, fun way to build real world career and life skills, gain self confidence and expand your awareness of diversity, global perspectives, and social responsibility.

If you are unable to join us for the virtual tour dates in person or online, please feel free to explore on your own:

*Sign up at Study Abroad Association here. Make sure to use your MPTC email address.

*Check your email for a confirmation message.

*Log in here to 360 Global Learning

MPTC has a subscription to the Global Perspectives package with over 35 locations to explore! You can access 360 Global Learning with your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop. To view locations in 3D try some virtual reality goggles!

On Valentine’s Day, many of us take time to show extra love to the special people in our lives. Stop in at any MPTC Campus Library from Feb. 7 – 18 to pick up your take-home Valentine kit and include some delicious Fair Trade chocolate!

Wouldn’t it be great if you could share that love with the farmers that help make this holiday extra sweet? Sign the virtual valentine for Fair Trade cocoa and flower farmers! 

Head to: https://padlet.com/FairTrade2022/MyFairTradeValentine and double-click the board to create your message now through Friday, February 18th. Once the valentine is filled with messages it will be sent to flower farmers at Agrocoex and cocoa farmers at Olam Ecuador.

Did you know?

• 70 percent of cocoa is produced by small holder farmers in West Africa, primarily Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana. Indonesia, Brazil, and Ecuador are also major cocoa-producing countries.
• Cocoa trees take about five years to reach peak production and can continue producing at that level for about ten years.
• Chocolate is made from the seeds of cocoa pods, a tree-grown fruit. After harvesting, the seeds are removed from the pods and processed (fermented, dried, then roasted).
• It takes about 500 cocoa beans to make one pound of chocolate. In an average year, a cocoa tree produces enough fruit to make about two pounds of chocolate.
• An estimated two million children work on cocoa farms. Up to 40 percent of these children are not enrolled in school. Many Cocoa farmers are exposed to numerous hazards, including dangerous tools, dust, flames or smoke, hazardous chemicals, and physically demanding labor. 
• Fair Trade standards prohibit child labor, and community development premiums are often used to improve access to education. Fair Trade standards also prohibit harmful chemicals and provide a framework for environmental sustainability.

Find out more about Fair Trade and MPTC Fair Trade College!

As decreed by U.S. presidential proclamation, January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. January is also known as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This is the time for each of us to learn about human trafficking in our city, state, nation and world, learn to learn to spot the signs of trafficking, and how we can help.

Did you know that Wisconsin is in the top five states for sex trafficking? The Highway 41 corridor from Chicago to Twin Cities has long been a “hotspot” for trafficking through our state. The mission of the Wisconsin Department of Justice Human Trafficking Initiative is to make Wisconsin inhospitable to human traffickers and to support victim-centered strategies and partnerships throughout the state.

What is Human Trafficking?

• Human trafficking is the misuse of other people. This often happens for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labor. Trafficking can occur at any age.
• Human traffickers often recruit vulnerable youth with force or deception. They may exploit youth through fraud, abuse of power, control, violence, or physical abduction. They may also threaten the youth or their family. Economic pressure can make a person more vulnerable to being trafficked.
• Trafficking occurs in cities, suburbs, and rural areas. It is a worldwide issue.
• Many youth who are being trafficked do not see themselves as victims. They may not realize they are being trafficked. From WI Dept. of Children and Families.

Globally, Fair Trade addresses child labor and human trafficking. As a Fair Trade College, MPTC is committed to education on anti-trafficking.

For efforts throughout our Fox Valley area please contact 5 Stones Fox Valley or any member of the MPTC Fair Trade College Team.

Moraine Park celebrated Fair Trade Month in October by hosting three Pop Up shops (October 25, 26, and 28). A small open shop event for promoting Fair Trade products was displayed in each campus cafeteria. Featured shops included In the Meantime Gifts and Just Fare Market. The event brought in many students, staff, and faculty that shopped the tables filled with beautiful artisan crafts. Highlighted items were Mayan friendship bracelets which are the base of profit for Mayan families, etched gourd ornaments, paper and fabric crafts, and plenty of coffee and chocolates.

It was an enjoyable event for a great cause. Shop Fair Trade so the producers of the goods can earn a sustainable lifestyle, farm better, and secure the rights of the workers.

Visit Just Fare Market or In the Meantime Gifts today!

Written by Laura Steinman, Meeting and Event Planning student

Did you know Moraine Park is a Fair Trade College?  Actually we are the very first Fair Trade technical college in the U.S.  Way to go MPTC!  We are now celebrating 6 years as a Fair Trade College!

October is Fair Trade Month! Celebrate Fair Trade Month on all 3 MPTC campuses with Fair Trade Pop Up Shops.

• Monday, October 25 West Bend Campus Cafeteria 10:30 am-1:30 pm Featuring In the Meantime Gifts
• Tuesday, October 26 Beaver Dam Campus Cafeteria 10:30 am – 1:30 pm Featuring In the Meantime Gifts
• Thursday, October 28 Fond du Lac Campus Cafeteria 10:30 am – 1:30 pm Featuring Just Fare Market and Mayan Hands Friendship Bracelets

Fair trade supports farmers and artisans in developing countries who are socially and economically marginalized. These producers lack economic opportunity and often face steep hurdles in finding markets and customers for their goods. Fair Trade is about making a tremendous impact on artisan and farmer communities while offering great products to the public all around the world. Fair Trade certification promises quality products, fair pay for producers, environmentally sustainable practices, safe and empowering working conditions, no child labor, no human trafficking and more.

Fairly traded clothing, coffee, food, furniture, home decor, housewares, jewelry, tea, toys, personal accessories, and many other products are available from Fair Trade Organizations. At all three MPTC campuses, our bookstores carry Divine Chocolate and Good Paper greeting cards. Our cafeterias offer Farmer Brothers Fair Trade Coffee and Honest Tea!

We hope to see you at the Fair Trade Pop Up, learning more about improving lives together! 

It’s time to #BuildBackFairer

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day on May 8! The Fair Trade movement has a great solution for helping end inequality, poverty, gender discrimination, and saving our environment. As we recover from the Covid pandemic we cannot go back to the old normal! The old normal left millions of people behind and was destroying our planet. We have the opportunity to Build Back Fairer!

Did you know MPTC is a Fair Trade College? Fair trade supports farmers and artisans in developing countries. These producers lack economic opportunity and often face steep hurdles in finding markets and customers for their goods. Fair Trade is about making a tremendous impact on artisan and farmer communities while offering great products to the public all around the world.

At all three MPTC campuses, our campus bookstores carry Divine Chocolate and Good Paper Cards, and Alta Gracia clothing. Our three cafeterias offer Fair Trade coffee and Fair Trade tea!

MPTC collaborates with several other area organizations supporting and educating others about Fair Trade such as Fond du Lac Fair Trade Towns, Just Fare Market, UW Oshkosh Fair Trade College, and UW Fond du Lac Fair Trade University.

Learn more at https://fairtradecampaigns.org/campaign-type/universities/

Also, find Fair Trade Information at Campus Libraries.