In progressive Vermont, it’s an article of faith that spending a little extra for a bag of premium coffee beans with a “fair trade” label is a price worth paying.  

A new Janus Forum debate, titled "Fair Trade Coffee: How Fair is Fair?," will hold that axiomatic belief up for scrutiny, with informed experts arguing for and against the proposition.   

The debate, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20 in Ira Allen Chapel.

Loraine Ronchi, senior economist for African Agriculture and Rural Development at the World Bank, will argue in favor of fair trade. Colleen Haight, an assistant professor of economics at San Jose State University and economics program officer at the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University, will argue against it.

According to Ronchi, writing in a paper titled “Fairtrade and market failures in commodity markets,” published by the World Bank, the rationale behind fair trade is that “… market power and a lack of capacity in producer organizations 'marks down' the prices producers receive.”

On her website, Haight writes a countering opinion: “While Fair Trade-certified coffee is growing in consumer familiarity and sales, strict certification requirements are resulting in uneven economic advantages for coffee growers and lower quality coffee for consumers.” 

The debate will be moderated by Marselis Parsons, former news director and evening news anchor at WCAX. 

The fair trade debate is the eighth in the Janus Forum series, which was launched in 2008.  The goal of the debates is to stimulate reasoned discussion on important social and economic issues facing society. The debates stress the contrast and relative effectiveness of solutions that rely on freedom of individual choice as opposed to governmental or regulatory-based approaches to problems.

A reception will immediately follow in the Billings Library from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.  Information: (802) 656-0190 or (802) 656-8720.