This week on Straight, From the Source, Clay Gordon discussing some pressing issues with Fair Trade and cocoa farming today. The industry has a couple of years, maybe, to address some fundamental issues or they may lose control of the ability to be in control. In a six-month transnational project led by the Forum for African Investigative Reporters (FAIR), journalists from Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria and the Netherlands investigated the alleged benefits received by cocoa farmers in West Africa via the FAIRTRADE label. Tune in and learn more about this project and other reports that suggest all is not how it seems in the world of chocolate and fair trade. This program was sponsored by Fairway Market.

"Farmers selling through the Fair Trade umbrella do not necessarily receive more income for their harvest than ordinary farmers. The farmers are often kept uninformed about the world market cocoa prices by the Fair Trade cooperatives that are meant to empower them." [06:50]

--Clay Gordon on Straight, From the Source

What does sustainability actually mean? On the second installment of Straight From the Source, host Clay Gordon breaks down the definition into three aspects: environmental, social and economic sustainability. Learn more about commodity pricing, fair trade and yields as they relate to cocoa. What is the cost of business and who covers those costs? Who takes the financial hit? How are market prices determined for fair trade models? Clay share his perspective on the life of a cocoa farmer and raises some interesting ideas on improving their lives and communities. If you're at all interested about cocoa farming this is an episode you do not want to miss. This program was made possible by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

"Cocoa farming is hard work. The young generation of children on the farms are not excited about the amount of work that it takes to make a decent living. Rather than staying on the farm, they are going to the big cities. The average age of a cocoa farmer now is heading to the mid fifties - early sixties. We need to make sure the communities that the farmers live in are strong and vibrant communities with enough resources to sustain the children and make sure the families feel supported - including infrastructure like schools and medical clinics."

"Chocolate is one of the few gourmet foods where the primary ingredient is grown thousands of miles away from where the final product is produced. It's this disconnect that enables us to not really think about the plight of the cocoa farmer because it's not in our face and we don't have to pay attention to it."

--Clay Gordon on Straight From the Source

This week on U Look Hungry learn about how one chocolate company is making not only delicious treats but also social change in Madegascar. Joe Salvatore and Tim McCollum of Madecasse talk with Helen Hollyman about how they are trying to change the status quo in Madagascar and the rest of Africa by not only sourcing their cocoa from their but also keeping the manufacturing and creation of their chocolate bars in country. Learn about how this chocolate is unlike any other fair trade organic chocolate and where you can find a bar to munch on today. We highly recommend the Sea Salt and Nibs . . mmmm. This episode is sponsored by Heritage Foods USA's No Goat Left Behind initiative.