Fair Trade Week, an effort by student groups to promote fair trade between farmers and merchants, is coming to the ISU campus.

“Fair Trade is promoting a fair way for people who are producing their products to participate in the community,” said Derrick Hochstatter, president of ISU Greens.

Sponsors for the week-long event include the ISU Greens, student operated Organic Farm, Student Union Board and Anthropology Club. Activities began Tuesday with a video and a panel discussion at the Maintenance Shop in the Memorial Union.

Hochstatter, senior in liberal studies, said community-supported agriculture involves prior payment to farmers, so that the farmer doesn’t have to worry about market fluctuations. This allows the farmer more flexibility and supports the local economy, he said. Farmers are also less likely to use dangerous chemicals as a shortcut.

“One of the main reasons we have this as a focus this semester is because this is a good way for people to get involved in activism,” he said.

He said there isn’t a strong activism movement in the Ames area, and he hopes this week will get more people involved.

“Local experts are talking about fair trade and alternative trade,” said Jen Barger, forums director for SUB.

Today’s events will include a community-supported agriculture information session at 7 p.m. in room 15 Curtiss Hall, and a discussion on the issue of globalization will be held at 8:30 p.m. Thursday in room 234 of the Memorial Union.

Barger, senior in plant health and protection, said globalization is very important at this day and age, and she wants people to see how consumers interact across the globe with such issues as wages and the environment.

“I think ISU students should think that there is another world out there,” Hochstatter said. “It is easy to get involved in and to learn about fair trade.”