Did you know that coffee is one of the most popular traded commodities in existence? As the world becomes more health conscious and aware of environmental impacts growers may have, organic coffee is fast making up more of the market share.

Coffee has been used for over a thousand years. Ethiopia appears to be one of the first areas to identify the miraculous qualities of coffee. It didn’t take long before coffee spread throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. Back then the growing methods weren’t as well thought out as they are now and the idea of organic ceased to exist (perhaps because crops weren’t yet doused with chemicals).

Today our food production is heavily regulated. We are seeing the slow decline of many toxic compounds used in growing practices but most growers are resistant to change. We now realize the environmental effects that pesticides, herbicides, and even fertilizers have on the watershed and ecosystems. For this reason organic coffee farming is becoming more common.

Companies that want to grow organic coffee must gain certification according to the regulations of the Organic Food Production Act. This Act lays out the guidelines that growers must follow to become certified and it also explains the method by which growers will be tested to ensure they follow these guidelines.

Organic Coffee Fields Must Gain Certification

The field in which certified organic coffee is grown must meet high standards as well. It must be shown to have been free of any contaminants or chemicals for at least three years prior to certification. This protects the consumer from past environmental effects that might influence the safety of current coffee crops.

Consumers will notice right away that organic coffee costs a bit more than non organic coffee. This is because the certification process takes time and money to complete. Farmers have to use new growing methods and convert their old land to chemical free land. This can take years and sometimes certification must be attempted repeatedly until it is finally granted.

Since modern fertilizers usually aren’t used when growing organic coffee, crops are often grown in the shade of large trees to protect the soil from sunlight. The delicate nutrients in the topsoil can be easily destroyed by the sun’s rays.

All of this work is well worth it for the serious coffee drinker. It provides a healthier, more eco-friendly way to grow our favorite beverage.

You can find plenty of information about coffee online. For additional information checkout this website on organic coffee.

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