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Organic Coffee
Coffee is the second largest commodity, after oil, and the second most consumed beverage, after water. Organic farming practices and criteria combine to form the highest standards for quality of life by addressing environmental, social and labor issues. If its not organic its not sustainable. Through coffee we can improve the environment while at the same time improving the quality of life.
What is organic coffee?
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 and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic farmers abide by the law.
What does it mean to be certified organic?
In order for coffee to be certified and sold as organic in the United States, it must be produced in accordance with U.S. standards for organic production and certified by an agency accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. U.S. requirements for organic coffee production include farming without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances for three years and a sustainable crop rotation plan to prevent erosion, the depletion of soil nutrients, and control for pests.
What is the size of the U.S. organic coffee market?
Organic Trade Association data shows that organic coffee sales in the United States amounted to approximately $110 million in 2006, up 24 percent from the previous year. Other studies show the figure could be much higher. A 2007 survey by Daniele Giovannucci and the Costa Rica-based Sustainable Markets Intelligence Center (CIMS) reported that approximately 65 million pounds of organic coffee were imported into the United States in 2006 with a retail value of approximately $617 million. The authors estimate the organic coffee sector represented 2.3 percent of the total U.S. green coffee imports in 2006. The 33 percent annual average growth rate for the organic category documented by the researchers between 2000 and 2007 dwarfs the estimated 1.5-2 percent projected annual growth rate of the conventional coffee industry.
Where is organic coffee grown?
Organic coffee is grown in 40 countries including Bolivia, Burundi, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timore-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, United States (Hawaii), Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zambia. The leading producer countries are Peru, Ethiopia, and Mexico.
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