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			BLACK GOLD

Tell us what you think about BLACK GOLD.

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02/17/2009
Sally Trower
Nova Scotia, Canada

Like other comments, my eyes were opened by the film. But if it's about educating us consumers, where is the list of web sites where the coffee can be bought. Like many others, I want to be a responsible consumer and happy to question where our food comes from. And with so many fair trade labels, it's a real minefield. Great work and a proud achievement though for all those who worked on the film.

12/06/2007

baltimore, md

This is really a comment for the person who commented on the 24th of October. You said "it is an ignorant continent that refuses to help itself. Every decade, every year, billions are poured into an continent that can't seem to help itself." Africa is in the debt it is now because of Europeans. If they had never came to this continent and divided us they way they wanted to, I guarantee you the continent Africa would have been the one running this messed up world. Europe and may I also add the United States, got to where they are right now because of the free assistant they were getting from Africa. Of course we were forced to it but still you still received all the help you needed. Isn‚t it ironic that Africa did not report problems prior to the Europeans invasion? May I also add that quite a few African nations were among the first most civilized nations in the world. What does this tell you? Maybe Africa just needs to cut out the rest of the world and maybe then all this problem that are arising within it
will go away.

11/15/2007
Zenu Gebru
Ethiopia

Message to kind people all over the world, who saw this movie or saw starving farmers in Ethiopia and want to help.

Blaming the rest of the world is not going to change anything in Ethiopia.This is the reason.

The fact is all land is owned by the government of Ethiopia since 1975 after they confiscated farms. Now the new government say they believe in democracy, but continues to refuse to allow private ownership of land.

Coffee farms was confiscated from the owners without compensation now refugees living all over the world. The rest still live in Ethiopia watching their coffee bought and sold. The farmers do not have incentive to work hard knowing the government can push them out any time. They do not own the farm as the movie is making you think they do. How can coffee from confiscated farm be labled as Fair Trade certified coffee? It is time kind people demand to see the names of the so called owners for the world to check.If you do not you will be blamed year after year as if you do n
ot care.

Nestle corporation got their money when the government conficated their business. The rest of the poor farmers you saw in the movie do not have lawyers to fight for them. So they are watching everyone buying and selling their coffee. This is a fact.

The problem started in Ethiopia and has to end in Ethiopia before anyone blames the world, otherwise you do not know if you are helping the poor farmer or the officials who own the land.

Wake up kind people.Do not let anyone blame you so you buy Fair Trade coffe.Fair Trade certification does not mean anything in Ethiopia. The farmers will tell you, if they can, that they prefer to own their farm so they will have incentive to work hard without fear of losing it year after year.
Thanks for caring.

10/24/2007

What an ignorant band of fools! The piece was DESIGNED to piss you off. And, truth be told, every coffee drinker in America is at fault. It's you, the coffee drinker, responsible for the demand in this country!

A few things:

First of all, Ethiopians have been malnourished for decades. Starbucks has nothing to do with it.

Secondly, what this piece fails to mention is that the cost of living is ridiculously low in Ethiopia, and in Africa in general.

Thirdly, you are not paying $4 a cup for a cup of brown water; you are paying that fee for high rent visibility, posh sofas, jazz piped through the speakers, and ESSENCE.

Now, if you don't like it, then don't drink coffee! Get off your addiction and quit with the uppers, man. And, just because you buy it from Sam's Club or Wal-Mart doesn't make it any better. It doesn't make it any better if you're buying it from Billy's Beanery. Would you rather Starbucks sell its Ethiopian blends for 30 cents a cup? Is it the profit that's eating you up? Is it the
fact that an organization we don't really like is banking millions a minute???

I know, how about if Starbucks just quits buying Ethiopian beans altogether and instead allows them to starve to death.

Here's some news: Africa is not oppressed. It is an ignorant continent that refuses to help itself. Every decade, every year, billions are poured into an continent that can't seem to help itself.

I'm not a coffee drinker, and I'm no fan of Starbucks. But, with that said, price-fixing isn't going to fix anything, and the racist attitude that white men are so superior to black men that they can manipulate them into selling their product for nothing is just adolescent. These are grown men and women running their own businesses (plantations). They don't have to sell to Starbucks. And if they can't cut it in the coffee industry, perhaps they should find a new profession. Isn't that what us "greedy" folks are forced to do every day in the promised land???

The piece was a neo-socialist piece designed to yank
tears from you because the filmmaker feels Starbucks is a terrible entity for making money.

The rich are evil, right?

Chicago, Illinois

Last night by chance I viewed this program. The topic glued my eyes to the TV. It is a sad state of affairs when fair trade policies affect so many in so many ways. I am in support of whatever can be done to increase the price of coffee in the small farming communities of developing nations. Without them where would the wealthy corporations be?

I found the program extremely fascinating and telling. I am currently a Finance major, and I would love to help the people of Ethiopia with the skills I have. If there is any way you can put me in contact with one of the leaders of the co-op program, I will be very grateful. I think the importance of raising the quality of life for people anywhere and everywhere is important beyond expression.

I watched the film on pbs tonite. Curious cuz I'm getting more interested in coffee. I used to buy 44 oz. of Yuban at Sam's, then stopped drinking it altogether, then began to buy a cup at Starbuck's for just under 2 bucks, reg. black. This is outrageous, so I bot some whole beans at Walmart Sam's (and a grinder). 2.5 lb. costs $11.87, makes a kilo not much less, and farmers were paid about 8 cents a kilo?? Read some comments incl'g very critical ones and learned that more goes into price than beans, duh. I'm wondering how much Marques de Paiva gets (Brazil). They've pretty much cut out the middleman. How much does Sam's get (MembersMark distributor). The beans are organic, arabica, gourmet, medium roast. I'm sold on buying "fresh" beans, grinding them--great flavor. Harar beans sound intriguing, but I wouldn't begin to know where to find them. Union rep in Ethiopia said they were the finest in the world. I don't know enuf about Fair Trade to comment. I've read exposes which totally denounce it. There seems to be something wrong when farmers get 8 cents a kilo and I pay $10.45. Also, women working sorting beans for 50 cents a day, 8 hours. That won't begin to buy a cup at Starbucks. Something smells.

Maggie Mandzuk
Montreal, Quebec

I think that "Black Gold" should be shown at every WTO meeting as a requirement for going behind those closed doors. I hope a wealthy philanthropist will buy enough copies for every school library in the US, Canada and the EU. And then copies for all politicians who are so easily influenced by the Nestles and the Starbucks of the world. I've been interested in the issue of Fair Trade for many years. It's amazing how little time the mainstream media gives to the farmers' stories, as in "Black Gold". I've seen letters to the editor in my local paper from the ill-informed who think that fair trade products are a scam and a fad for the rich. I'm sure if they saw this film they'd start to open their eyes. I have very little money but buy only fair trade coffee for my one cup a day. I treasure it and now will look for Ethiopian coffee. Thank you Mr. Tadesse Meskela for your hard work. And to the producers of the film for making it!

Arjuna
Warner Robins, Georgia

Coffee, gas, you name it, it is the price others are paying to provide these "wants and needs" to us that we should really worry about instead of our own pockets. With such much profit out there, I am ashamed of being part of a chain whose links hold very little strength in Africa and other places around the world.

Sylvia Eichelberger
Carriere, MS

The story touched me, not for the coffee itself, I do not drink coffee, but for the unjust policies of the World Trade Organization. The climax of the film came when we learned of the secret meetings, behind close doors, of the powerful while the delegations of third world countries languished hopping to bring back home fare market trades. My own native country of Ecuador has suffered this for decades over the production and commercialization of its major crop, bananas. And when the country decided not to tolerate any more the economical bully of the rich, it was "punish" with sanctions and restrictions and now, here in America we can not enjoy any more the best banana of the world.

Jen
PA

Starbucks will not see another red cent from me until they change their manner of purchasing coffee from all of their growers! From now on it's Fair-trade coffee only!

Michael Hogan
Oklahoma City, OK

Not only did this show change the way I will buy coffee, it has changed the way I will buy all goods. I consider myself an average consumer and fairly open-minded. I have not noticed any products recently with any sort of indication they are "Fair Trade Products" Even in the liberal coffee shops, which support these movements. There is not much of a trend in using this label as a marketing tool. I believe that at the end of the day only price, quality and advertising will help these farmers. I was wondering why they did not discuss creating a plant in Ethiopia to roast all of the coffee beans. I would think that as the beans are more processed the cost for transporting the completed coffee would be cheaper the selling price would be greater. They would have the best opportunity for picking the best crops and they could afford to pay the coffee growers a fair wage. I will admit I did not study economics and I am sure they have thought of this, but I can not figure out why some investor would not seize this opportunity. Any suggestions?

Cornelia Cretiu Vasiliu
Stillwater, Oklahoma

I love coffee but now when I look at my cup I see people dying out of hunger, just because somebody wants to pay less on it. We are opening a new chapter of Engineers Without Borders in Stillwater at Oklahoma State University on 24th of April and I hope I can convince my colleagues with the help of this movie that we can do something for Oromia coffee farmers: Help them build the school they wanted so badly for their children and I'm thinking that a roasting and packaging facility on spot could raise the price of their final product significantly and help them live out of their work.

Orland Park, IL

I was very moved by the plight of the Ethiopian coffee farmers and Tadesse's efforts to help them. I confess to ignorance re Ethiopia's style of government and why the coffee farmers are living in such terrible poverty when their product is in such high demand worldwide. Can it be only due to the big bad First World capitalists or poor leadership or??? I was impressed with the beauty and quiet dignity of the people. I have many questions, beginning with why they have such large families amidst such poverty. The answer I usually get is that children are their only capital, it's also cultural, religious, etc. But I believe they have to consider family planning as the first step towards raising their standard of living. I plan to ask for free trade coffee when shopping in the future. That's my small contribution.

Shif Deneke
Anaheim, CA

The Black Gold documentary movie was shown in Beverly Hills few weeks ago on March 30, 2007. I thank you for your invitation and enjoyed watching it. Please can you provide me the gentlemen contact numbers/email addresses who were in the panel discussions. I like to discuss with them about the coffee products in Ethiopia, and how we can assist the coffee farmers by introducing to fair markets. The movie was very powerful and felt sad to the farmersÇ daily lives. Thank you.

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