on Court Street Saturday was the target of a nationwide campaign to end the "modern day slavery" of farm workers who grow and harvest much of the tomatoes bought by the store.

Troupes of locals and representatives from the Florida-based Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) took to the streets to raise awareness about the decade-old campaign. The colorful, peaceful processions were part of a day long Fair Food Festival organized by the internationally recognized CIW and a partner organization based in New York, the Community/Farmworker Alliance. The Commons on Atlantic Avenue served as a hub of educational activities for kids and adults, workshops and home base for rally participants throughout the day.

"We're very happy to be in New York," said farm worker Gerardo Chavez, 34, to a crowd at the Commons. "This is a moment when history is being written for farm workers. We didn't know if we could challenge the entrenched power of the tomato industry, but I think we're getting there," said Chavez. He ended his speech with a warning.

"Watch out Trader Joe's." Founded ten years ago by migrant farm laborers, The CIW has forged landmark Fair Food Agreements with local tomato farms and leading global food retailers – including McDonald's, Taco Bell and Burger King – in which the corporate buyers agreed to pay a penny more per pound of tomatoes picked, and in which labor contractors have signed on to a code of conduct that protects workers' human and labor rights.

Trader Joe's has so far refused to sign the agreement. According to the CIW, TJ's claims to have signed on while continuing the same wage abuse.

The new code of conduct includes new workplace protections, such as a safe way to report sexual abuses, providing mandatory shade for workers to rest, minimum wage guarantees and a "zero tolerance policy" towards "modern day slavery" and sexual harassment.

Participants in the rally Saturday included impassioned farm workers from Immokalee, Florida, who pick the tomatoes sold to Trader Joe's, as well as locals in support of their cause. Oscar Oztoy, one of the Immokalee workers present at the event, explained how he made only 50 cents per 32 lb. bucket of tomatoes picked; to earn minimum wage, one has to pick between 125 and 130 buckets within ten or twelve hours – something he described as "extremely difficult."