VOA慢速英语 2007 0508a

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Coffee drinkers are not the only ones willing to pay more for products marked with the words "Fairtrade" or "Fair Trade Certified¹." Fair-trade teas, bananas, nuts and other products are also available. Some people see it as an act of social responsibility to buy these products.

 
Fair-trade Sumatran coffee
The movement began in Europe in the nineteen eighties. Activists² wanted a way to guarantee fair prices for small coffee producers in poor countries.

A group called the Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, or FLO, was established in nineteen ninety-seven. Its responsibilities include setting prices as well as rules for working conditions and wages.

Under fair trade rules, importers must give growers technical help and let growers borrow money from them.

Until nineteen eighty-nine, an international agreement helped keep coffee prices level by governing the world supply. But then a free market agreement ended that. The supply of coffee grew higher than demand. Prices were low. Now, coffee prices are rising on the world market.

The European Parliament recognized the work of the Fairtrade movement with a resolution last year. But there were also calls to establish policies to protect the movement itself from abuses. These include growers failing to pay the required wages to their workers.

Some economists³ criticize Fairtrade plans in general. They say the guaranteed prices are often higher than market prices. As a result, growers produce more, and too much supply can hurt growers who are not included in the plans.

Coffee is the second most traded product on world markets after oil. And some of the finest coffees come from Ethiopia.

Now, Ethiopia wants to control the use of its specialty⁴ coffee names under trademark⁵ laws. The idea is to charge coffee sellers for the right to use those names.

The world's best known coffee seller, however, resisted the idea. But last week, after two days of talks, Ethiopia's Intellectual Property Office and the Starbucks Coffee Company released a joint⁶ statement. They said they look forward to signing an agreement this month.

Details are not yet final. But they say the agreement will recognize the importance of Ethiopia's specialty coffee names. After all, Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz noted⁷ that Ethiopia is recognized as the historic birthplace of coffee.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture report, written by Jerilyn Watson. I'm Steve Ember.

1 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 specialty   

n.(speciality)特性，特质；专业，专长

参考例句：

• Shell carvings are a specialty of the town.贝雕是该城的特产。
• His specialty is English literature.他的专业是英国文学。

5 trademark   

n.商标；特征；vt.注册的…商标

参考例句：

• The trademark is registered on the book of the Patent Office.该商标已在专利局登记注册。
• The trademark of the pen was changed.这钢笔的商标改了。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。