Crispin Hernandez and the Workers' Center of Central New York won historic legal protections for farmworkers in Episode 1. Now they take their demands to Chobani’s doorstep, backed by a detailed report. 

But instead of negotiating with workers, Chobani chose a different path. They partnered with Fair Trade USA to develop a new “Fair Trade Dairy” standard, and rolled out a “Milk Matters” platform. But they aren’t engaging with workers. 

Topics covered include:

• The massive growth of the industrial dairy industry at the expense of farm workers’ health and wellbeing.
• Workers’ Center of Central New York’s research into conditions on dairy farms in New York State, including those selling to Chobani. 
• Crispin and organizers deliver their demands straight to Chobani’s doorstep, calling for recognition of their rights and negotiations. 
• Farm workers’ demand for an alternative to Chobai and Fair Trade USA’s “Fair Trade Dairy” label that requires Chobani to work with dairy farms that respect workers’ rights
• How Fair Trade USA’s “Fair Trade Dairy” label was developed without farmworkers, a clear contrast from the farmworkers’ demands of Chobani
• What has (and hasn’t) changed since Workers Center of Central New York brought their demands to Chobani’s door. 

Do you work on a farm participating in the “Fair Trade Dairy” program? We want to hear about your experiences. Send a message to [email protected] or call (800) 631-9980.

Resources:

Learn more about Crispin’s work and the Workers’ Center of Central New York at https://www.workerscny.org/en/home/

Read the Milked report, detailing conditions on New York dairy farms written by Workers Center of Central New York and allies and presented to Chobani: https://milkedny.wordpress.com/ 

See the open letter to Chobani from New York worker groups detailing their demands and opposition to “Fair Trade Dairy”: https://www.workerscny.org/en/chobani-respect-workers-organizing-rights/

Find out where farm workers are organizing around the country and learn more about the work of Food Chain Workers’ Alliance: https://foodchainworkers.org/

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