The residents of small farming villages in countries such as Nicaragua are benefiting from the work of Sparty's Cafes and MSU's Real Food Group, which works to improve the global food system.

Earlier this month Sparty's Cafes and Coffeehouses started serving "Spartan Spirit," a Fair Trade certified coffee blend that is bought from the farmers at a higher wage to raise standards of living.

"With Fair Trade, it gives the customer a choice that if they want to support something like that, it's now available at Sparty's for them to support," Sparty's General Manager Ken Deneau said.

Fair Trade coffee is $1.26 per pound, compared to the 40-50 cents price of regular coffee, Deneau said.

The "Spartan Spirit" blend is an organic, shade-grown bean from Nicaragua. Organic coffee is grown without pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers and shade-grown farming helps keep the environment healthy.

"We picked that name (Spartan Spirit) specifically because it's a social responsibility issue and we feel that Spartan spirit is really akin to 'What does a university represent?'" Deneau said. "And it's our feeling that, in general, social issues have always been a cause within a campus community."

The Real Food Group has been working since its formation last summer, promoting Fair Trade, local and organic food. They have talked to many different businesses and held a Fair Trade coffee panel in March.

"We're taking a closer look at our food system and the choices we make on the food we eat," said Real Food Group faculty adviser, Laura DeLind, adding that these choices impact the world environmentally, socially and economically.

"The more we know on food - where it comes from, how it's produced - the more knowledgeable choices we can make."

The group works to promote locally grown, Fair Trade and organic food, along with the humane treatment of animals.

DeLind asked Aaron Krueger to join the Real Food Group, and since then he has been helping out with the group, even now he's graduated from MSU.

"I was working at an organic farm and wanted to get more involved with food issues and raise awareness - mainly on local food," Krueger said. "I graduated last semester and have been helping out with the group to get more members, try and carry on the group for some of the younger students and help out with Fair Trade coffee."

Part of the struggle of getting more places to sell Fair Trade coffee is that many places don't know about it, and, in some cases, Krueger said they claim to sell Fair Trade coffee but aren't sure what it is.

"We helped out with a little education," he said, adding that they spoke with local businesses about the issue of Fair Trade coffee.

Espresso Royale sells Fair Trade coffee in its "Peace Coffee" line. Starbucks brews it on the 20th of each month, but has it available to buy in bean form every day. They will also be selling it all next week in an effort to promote Fair Trade coffee. Meijer, the East Lansing Food Co-op and Foods for Living sell Fair Trade coffee beans as well.

Dr. Marco Tavanti of DePaul University was the keynote speaker at a Fair Trade coffee panel at MSU and helped the Real Food Group get contacts for promoting Fair Trade coffee.

He recently visited southern Mexico and saw the improvements from Fair Trade coffee first hand.

"It's important for the producer; they take a big advantage from higher price paid," he said, adding that producers can buy new machinery and improve their communities with the higher wages.

In addition to promoting Fair Trade coffee, the group works to have more local and organic food available on and around campus.

"Early on we were trying to get a lot of cafeterias to serve local food, organic food and Fair Trade coffee," Krueger said. "But we were unsuccessful because we didn't have enough members."

They also plan on visiting local organic farms to volunteer and learn more about them.

May 8 is World Fair Trade Day, but group member Shawn Wozniak, a State News contributing columnist, said that since it falls on the same day as commencements and because the group doesn't have enough manpower, they won't have any special events.

"During the summer some members are going to be attending conferences to learn more about fair trade issues and local farming issues," Wozniak said in an e-mail, adding that he hopes to talk with the CEO of Beaner's about selling Fair Trade coffee.