In the last few years, there has been a lot of discussion concerning organic and fair trade products, but to many people, the terms ‘fair trade certified’ or ‘organically grown’ are still a bit confusing. What do they really mean and why are they important? After researching these subjects extensively, Joe Bean became committed to serving organic, fair trade coffee because of the quality of the product, its impact to coffee-growing communities, and the health of the world at large. Read on for a bit more detail. You'll also find some links if you wish to further research the subject.
Organic Coffee
More and more coffee lovers are promoting organic coffee as a consumer-conscious alternative to 'conventional' coffee because it is better for the environment and for the farmers that grow the coffee. As the market for organic coffee grows, it is becoming ever more important to understand what organic coffee is and how to know when you're really buying 'green’ beans.
What is Organic Coffee and how is it Grown?
Organic coffee is grown without using pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals. Organic techniques focus on maintaining good soil quality and plant health as the most effective means of boosting productivity and protection against disease. Typically, organic farmers fertilize with compost, and use disease-resistant mulch. Crops are rotated and plantations are interspersed with fruit and nut trees to ensure that the soil is replenished regularly with nutrients. As a result, the land can remain fertile for coffee production for generations, which prevents farmers from having to cut down trees to clear new land. Organic coffee is often grown on small, family-owned farms that also benefit economically from having these secondary crops. In addition, although organic farming is more labor-intensive, certified organic coffee growers are paid an average of 15 cents more per pound for their product than they would be for conventional beans.
Organic coffee is typically 'shade grown' under a canopy of trees that filters the sun. This is sometimes referred to as 'bird-friendly coffee' because the trees preserve habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. In this regard, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center is said to have documented sightings of up to 150 species of birds on a shaded coffee farm, compared to just 5 to 20 on a conventional coffee farm. The trees also help to conserve water and topsoil by providing a mulch cover, and the birds act as a natural defense against bugs and other pests. Shade-grown coffees also tend to mature more slowly, which many people believe produces a superior tasting bean. Interestingly, shade tree growing was the traditional way of growing coffee before the industry became as commercialized as it is today.
In contrast, conventional 'full sun' coffee, which was developed in the 1970s and 1980s to increase productivity, is grown without tree cover to allow the coffee plants to be grown closer together. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides, such as DDT, Malathion and benzene hexachloride, must be used to compensate for the lack of nutrients and biological diversity.
Who Decides What Is Organic?
Several independent third-party certification agencies, such as the Organic Crop Improvement Association, have been established to verify the claims of organic coffee producers. These agencies must be accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture and are set up to enforce the U.S. standards for organic production. If an agency determines that a grower's operations adhere to its standards, they are allowed to market coffee under the certifier's label. Certification can, however, be expensive, and some organic farmers choose not to spend the extra money to have their farming practices validated by an outside party. In some of these cases, if the farm is part of a coffee co-op, the co-op helps with the cost of certification.
What is the connection between Fair Trade and Organic Coffee?
Organic coffee is closely linked with 'fair trade coffee', since both are concerned with paying coffee producers a fair price for their product and preserving the environment in which coffee is produced. Often times, Fair Trade certified coffee is also organically certified. As with organic coffees, various third-party agencies have been established to certify fair trade producers.
http://www.ota.com/organic_and_you/coffee_collaboration/environment.html (Organic Trade Associations facts concerning organic coffee)
http://coopcoffees.com/resources (Fair Trade, Organic green bean supplier that works with local coffee roasters including Joe Bean Coffee)