Farmers and Farmer Co-operatives and Associations

Family and small-scale farmers and democratic farmers co-operatives that serve and represent them, committed to a vision of fair trade, food justice and sustainable agriculture. Farmer is defined as one who owns, operates, or manages a farm engaged in primary agricultural production (raising of crops or livestock). (S)he is in charge of decisions related to agricultural production, marketing, and other aspects of the business. Members of the farmers family are considered farmers, even if receiving a wage (rather than farmworkers). Farmer Co-operatives and Associations are democratically structured organizations comprised of and led by farmers, with membership open to any farmer consistent with the co-operative s or association s mission. Organizations that advocate for or provide services to farmers but are not comprised of and led by farmers, as defined above, should be classified as NGOs for purposes of the DFTA.