John,

In 2001, as farmworkers studied their situation in Immokalee, they sought the answer to a simple question: Why are farmworkers poor? Gradually, a paradox emerged — the further away from the fields they looked, the clearer the picture became. Soon it became evident that the overwhelming economic power at the very top of the food industry, located in the consolidated fast-food and grocery chains purchasing millions of pounds of produce for thousands of stores at a time, was driving poverty and abuse for those at the bottom.

Those brands leveraged their immense purchasing power to demand lower and lower prices at the farm gate, causing growers to turn to workers in the fields and offer lower and lower wages over time, just to stay afloat.

That same analysis of the problem of farmworker poverty eventually led farmworkers in Immokalee to the solution: the consumer, the only economic actor in the food industry with more power than the multi-billion dollar brands. With the birth of the Campaign for Fair Food, the CIW sought to build an economic system designed to protect workers’ dignity, not profit from their exploitation.

The Fair Food Program was born 10 years ago after years of unwavering commitment from allies like you. Over the last 10 days, 115 new monthly donors have signed up to fuel the Campaign in the years ahead. There are only 48 hours left: If you become a Fair Food Sustainer in these final two days, the impact of your donation will be doubled by a matching pledge!

Become a Fair Food Sustainer

The Fair Food Program has proven that a functioning economy does not have to rest on the exploitation of those at the bottom. A different world, a different system, is possible. But we know there is a long way to go before the Fair Food Program becomes the norm for U.S. agriculture.

Even amidst a global pandemic, farmworkers Zoomed into hundreds of classrooms across the country, musicians gathered to celebrate Fair Food in virtual concerts, faith leaders gathered for a digital Summit with farmworkers, and social media continued to light up with creative campaigns, calling on holdouts like Wendy’s to join the Fair Food Program and protect essential farmworkers who were putting their lives at risk.

Creativity and resilience have brought us this far, and with your help, they will carry Fair Food into the next decade. Click here to give just $10 a month – a sustaining donation that will be matched if made in the next 48 hours!

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