Our investigation into the sugar industry is making waves

View in browser   October 29, 2021 This week, 15 Democratic members of the House Ways and Means committee demanded a "swift and thorough" investigation into the "appalling conditions" faced by workers in the Dominican Republic who produce sugar that's shipped to the United States to be sold in grocery stores, used by industrial bakers, and made into Hershey candies. The call to action cites an article Mother Jones published just last month focusing on the operations of Central Romana, a company that's controlled by the spectacularly wealthy and Florida-based Fanjul family. Their plantation workers, mostly of Haitian descent and often stuck in immigration limbo, live in company-owned work camps, where backbreaking labor is rewarded with just dollars a day. Many find themselves trapped in inescapable debt. Dozens have signed on to a lawsuit claiming injuries from spraying chemicals without being issued proper protective equipment.  While the workers are usually treated better than they were thirty years ago, when Sandy Tolan, our article's main author, first investigated the Dominican Republic's sugar industry, his recent reporting in Mother Jones—also released as podcast by public radio's Reveal—details ongoing and, in the representatives' words, "inhumane conditions." The Fanjul family has proven to be a powerful political force in both the Dominican Republic and in Washington. But they may not be able to overcome the momentum of activists and regulators targeting poor labor conditions in global agricultural supply chains. Countries exporting tainted cotton, seafood, and palm oil have all recently been subject to bans from US Customs and Border Protection. Our reporting, and calls like this one from Congress, could one day land sugar on the list. Give the story a read—or a listen—before chomping into Hershey chocolate this Halloween. —Clint Hendler Advertisement   The High Human Cost of America’s Sugar Habit Low pay, chemical exposure, and a life of debt. BY SANDY TOLAN WITH EUCLIDES CORDERO NUEL; PHOTOS BY PEDRO FARIAS-NARDI SPONSORED POST   Achieving Climate Justice for 500 Million Family Farms Worldwide Why Fairtrade organizations and farmers say global leaders need to step up and how you can help. THIS CONTENT WAS PAID FOR AND SPONSORED BY FAIRTRADE AMERICA.   A private prison company just lost a major battle over $1-per-day wages BY MADISON PAULY For a decade, Elizabeth Warren waged war against a student debt Goliath. She finally won. BY HANNAH LEVINTOVA Work is so bad that people are quitting in droves. We should see that as a good thing. BY JACOB ROSENBERG "You are worth more": Kaiser Permanente workers are on the verge of a historic strike BY NOAH LANARD Advertisement   He Was a Board Member of the Oath Keepers. Now, He's Holding State-Approved Trainings for Law Enforcement in Texas. Richard Mack wants your sheriff to defy the government. BY STEPHANIE MENCIMER   Our fall fundraising drive is off to a rough start, and we very much need to raise $250,000 in the next couple of weeks. If you value the journalism you get from Mother Jones, please help us do it with a donation today. We can't afford to come up short, and there's still a long way to go by November 5. Donate Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by forwarding it to a friend or sharing it on Facebook and Twitter. Donate Subscribe This message was sent to franchmaverickk.secretwords123@blogger.com. To change the messages you receive from us, you can edit your email preferences or unsubscribe from all mailings. For advertising opportunities see our online media kit. Were you forwarded this email? Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today. www.MotherJones.com PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755