Dole Pineapple

1. Why I Can Afford It

1.1. Subcontractors; 50% of pineapple workers are hired by subcontractors. They provide low paid and unionized workers. This also huge companies to avoid good working conditions and not follow international and national labour laws.

1.2. United States farm subsidies make products produced by Dole, a large company, cheaper because the Department of Agriculture grants large subsidies to farmers who plant more crops, which encourages farms to grow more and gives small farms little to no economic value.

1.3. Costa Rica has lower wage costs than the United States. Outsourcing farming here means that Dole can pay much less money for labor than they would if these farms were in the States.

2. Large Corporate Economic Advantages

2.1. CAFTA- Central America Free Trade Agreement

2.1.1. A treaty under international law, but not United States law, eliminates almost all tariffs on imports. This agreement favors corporate agribusiness over independent producers and forces market prices down. Under CAFTA, Costa Rica is required to reduce subsidies and other supports that protect small businesses in order to compete with low priced imports from the States.

2.2. WTO- World Trade Organization

2.2.1. Gives advantages to large corporations due to subsidies and low international taxes.

3. Impacts on Global Neighbors

3.1. 70% of workers in the pineapple industry are Nicaraguan migrants. They provide cheap labor but are vulnerable and taken advantage of by their employers because they do not have visas.

3.1.1. Materials

3.1.2. Personnel

3.1.3. Services

3.1.4. Duration

3.2. The average wage for a pineapple farmer is higher than the national average but in order to obtain this salary workers are expected to work a minimum of 80 hours per week. Most workers earn about half of what the 'living wage' is.

3.3. Costa Rican women are disciminated from working in this industry. More men than women are hired because employers don't want to pay for maternity costs. High reports of sexual harassment are reported by women who do secure jobs. Women have also been fired once they have become pregnant.

3.4. 6,000 people near these farmers now rely on their government to provide clean water due to contamination from pesticides.

4. Environmental Impacts

4.1. Dole is the world's largest producer of fruits and vegetables. In order to meet production demands farmers use mass amounts of pesticides and monocultures.

4.2. Pineapple farming is done in the Costa Rican rainforest.The effects of pesticides are increased because rainwater carries the chemicals from the farm site and dumps them in local community water systems.

4.3. Monocultures and pesticide use is causing erosion, sedimentation, and deforestation. Natural vegetation is cleared to make room for pineapple farms, which exposes topsoil and is blown or washed away by rain. This leads to reduced soil fertility and degraded land.

4.4. Shipping Pineapple from Costa Rica to Seattle. Carbon Dioxide is released through forms of transportation.