Why Organic Coffee?

Non-organic coffee is the heaviest chemically treated food commodity in the world. The most common chemical used in coffee production is synthetic petroleum based fertilizers, which slowly destroy the soil's fertility and often seep into local water supplies. Coffee trees do not naturally grow in direct sunlight, but under the shade of dense rainforest. To increase productivity, the coffee industry has developed sun-resistant coffee tree hybrids that comprise nearly 70% of the world's coffee production. As a result, rainforest is being cleared at a rapid rate to increase capacity for new, sun-resistant coffee trees.

Organic coffee is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Inspectors rigorously test soil, leaf, and beans for chemical residue before the coffee can be certified organic. Global sales of organic coffee reached 148 million pounds in 2006, a 56% increase from 2003. Organic coffee farms have become a trend due to a strong consumer push for better, safer, and healthier products - a trend that supports sustainability and is predicted to increase in the near future.