What Is Organic Coffee?

In order to be labeled as organic, coffee must be grown using methods that have as little impact on the environment as possible. Ideally, an organic system of production will help maintain and replenish the fertility of the soil, avoid use of toxic and unhealthy chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and help increase biological diversity. In the US, certification as organic coffee requires that farming must have been done without any prohibited substances for three years or more, that crop rotation to keep erosion down must be implemented, and that sustainable practices be used.

This results in coffee production that, unlike conventional methods, doesn’t pollute the water, is safe for workers, and produces a better coffee bean. Currently, sales of organic coffee account for about a hundred and ten million dollars, and the amount is growing. In 2008, over eighty-one million pounds of organic coffee were imported into North America. That’s about three percent of total coffee imports. The industry is growing at a rate of about thirty two percent a year – far more than the one to two percent growth of conventional coffee.

Organic coffee is currently being grown in forty different countries, located in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia and Africa, as well as in the US. The current leading producers of organic coffee are Ethiopia, Mexico, and Peru, however. You can find organic coffees on the market in nearly every form, from plain roasted beans to flavored, decaffeinated and instant coffees, organic chocolate covered coffee beans, candy, and many other coffee-related products. Coffee with the organic label can be found locally, or bought online, where even better selections are available.

In addition to the organic certification, coffee may carry a Fair Trade label (not all Fair Trade coffee is organic, but much of it is, and some basic environmental rules apply) and the Bird Friendly label, which indicates that the coffee is shade grown and promotes local biological diversity. All Bird Friendly coffee must be organic.

Organic Coffee Beans