Organic Coffee

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Organic coffee is grown with the environment in mind.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.

In order for coffee to be labeled as organic in the U.S. it must meet some standards and certified by an agency accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Requires 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

Organic Trade Association data shows that organic coffee sales in the U.S. amounted to approximately $110 million in 2006, up 24 percent from the previous year.

Organic coffee is grown in 40 countries including Boliva, Brazil, and China.

Organic coffee products now on the market include decaffeinated, caffeinated, flavored and instant coffees, organic coffee ice cream and yoghurt, coffee sodas, hard candies, and chocolate covered beans.

Most conventionally produced coffees are decaffeinated by using toxic solvents such as methylene chloride (probable human carcinogen, harmful to central nervous system) or ethyl acetate (harmful to central nervous system, kidneys and liver). Organic coffee, however, must be decaffeinated using a certified organic decaffeination process to maintain the organic integrity of the beans. One of the most popular organic decaffeination processes is the SWISS WATER(R) process, using only water to remove caffeine.

All this information and more can be found at:

http://www.ota.com/organic_and_you/coffee_collaboration/facts.html