When: Wednesday March 18th at 6 – 8 pm
Where: Leahy Center, Rutland Regional Medical Center, 160 Allen Street.
Co-host: Migrant Justice
What:
Join us in hearing from farmworkers with Migrant Justice about the reality of labor and housing conditions dairy workers face and the need for the “Milk with Dignity” campaign. This campaign is asking Hannaford–one of the largest purchasers of Vermont milk, known by many for its professed progressive values–to commit to protecting the fundamental human rights of dairy workers in its supply chain by signing onto the Milk with Dignity Program. More details about this campaign can be found below. We hope to see you at this free public event!
In October 2017 Ben & Jerry’s signed on to the Milk with Dignity Program. https://migrantjustice.net/MDProgram This is a worker-led initiative modeled after the Coalition of Immokalee Workers world-renowned Fair Food Program. http://www.fairfoodprogram.org/recognition/ Migrant Justice is asking Hannaford to join Ben & Jerry’s in standing up for workers’ welfare and signing onto this program.
In the fall of 2018 Migrant Justice farmworker leaders designed and carried out a survey with dairy farmworkers across Vermont to collect detailed information about the working and living conditions faced by workers outside the Milk with Dignity Program. The results of this survey show high rates of workplace injuries and illnesses and a severe lack of safety equipment and training. Dairy buyers must address these urgent health and safety challenges in their supply chains by joining Milk with Dignity, the only program with a proven record of securing human rights for farmworkers.
On October 3rd, the second anniversary of Migrant Justice and Ben & Jerry’s agreement, the community decided to invite Hannaford Supermarket to join the Milk with Dignity Program. Hannaford brand milk is produced on farms where workers are suffering severe human rights abuses. By paying a premium and ensuring that its suppliers comply with the Program, Hannaford can take responsibility for the rights and wellbeing of the dairy workers in its supply chain. This opportunity to join Milk with Dignity will provide the company a guarantee that its dairy products will be produced free from human rights violations. With nearly 200 stores, Hannaford is one of the largest supermarket chains in the Northeast and an important regional buyer of dairy products. Hannaford is owned by Ahold Delhaize, a Dutch multinational with $75 billion in global sales, mostly from U.S. supermarkets. Through its Responsible Retailing Program, Ahold has committed to sourcing practices that respect human rights. Several brands owned by Ahold Delhaize have signed the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Fair Food Program, committing to source their tomatoes from this internationally-renowned human rights program.
Rutland Area Branch of the NAACP 