The City of Brandon has partnered with the Ten Thousand Villages store downtown on Rosser to celebrate Fair Trade month with a coffee and chocolate tasting event this Saturday, and the public is invited! "The City of Brandon became a Fair Trade Town on May 20th, 2014. We are the 19th municipality in Canada and the second in Manitoba to receive this honor," shares Corporate Communications Officer for the City of Brandon, Merrilea Metcalf. "Being a Fair Trade Town, it's more than just a label. It's a movement that champions fairness, ethics and responsibility in business. There are various standards that go into seeing a city becoming a fair-trade city," she adds. Buying Fair Trade products means supporting fairness and sustainability. It guarantees that farmers and producers are paid fairly, work in safe conditions, and follow ethical labor and environmental standards. Plus, every Fair Trade purchase helps fund community development through premiums that go back into local projects and businesses. Each item you choose makes a real difference—one ethical purchase at a time. Standards of Fair Trade: Fair Trade standards are grounded in three pillars of sustainable development: social, economic, and environmental. The goals of these standards include: Ensuring producers receive a Fair Trade minimum price that guarantees financial stability. Providing an additional Fair Trade premium, which supports social, economic, and environmental community projects. Offering pre-financing for producers in need of capital to grow their business. Promoting long-term, mutually beneficial trade relationships. Setting clear, progressive criteria to ensure that production and trade are socially fair, economically just, and environmentally responsible The Fair Trade Month celebration at Ten Thousand Villages Store in downtown Brandon will be held this Saturday, October 11th from 11:00 to 2:00 - on 829 Roster Ave. For three consecutive years, Brandon has been named Fair Trade Town of the Year! Special thanks to the Marquis Project for their leadership in bringing the Fair Trade movement to Brandon. For more information visit the City of Brandon website here. "We're very proud to be a fair-trade town!" adds Metcalf.