An exceptional cup of coffee starts with high-quality ingredients. To guarantee yourself an unforgettable cup, opt for certified organic beans – these have been grown and processed without the use of chemical residues or synthetic fertilizers – meaning your purchase not only supports sustainable agriculture practices and environmental health initiatives, but also supports livelihoods of farmers who rely on it for income.

Certified organic coffee beans must be grown and produced under the stringent regulations set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), including not using synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fungicides; soil must also be free of chemical residues and fertilizers as their flavor and nutritional qualities depend directly on them; using certified organic fertilizer is therefore key for producing superior coffee beans.

Most organic coffee farms are small family businesses whose primary aim is to produce nutritious and tasty crops, while adhering to sustainable practices that will benefit both people and nature. Organic farmers focus on using regenerative farming practices and sustainable agricultural techniques that benefit not only their soil but also workers – conventional farming chemicals have been linked with serious health concerns for those who spray or handle crops, while some can even make their way through to our bodies’ fat cells and cause serious issues, including cancer.

Organic coffee is typically shade-grown to protect the ecosystem. Without the shade provided by trees, sun-grown coffee would quickly scorch the land and necessitate large amounts of non-organic fertilizer to replace lost nutrients. Furthermore, shade grown coffee plants help stabilize microclimates, reduce soil erosion, and provide habitats for birds, insects and other forms of wildlife.

Shade from nearby trees helps reduce water usage for coffee trees during their growing process, thus helping both the environment and farmers by decreasing water scarcity and increasing biodiversity.

Organic farms also contribute to richer coffee beans thanks to organic matter in their soil and the lack of synthetic fertilizers that contributes to pollution reduction and greenhouse gas reduction. Organic farms have even been proven to combat climate change by decreasing greenhouse gas emissions while sequestering carbon.

When purchasing coffee with a certified organic label, you can rest easy knowing it meets the highest quality standards. The USDA verifies and enforces this mark of quality through their National Organic Program. Fair Trade certification ensures higher wages for farmers as well as better working conditions. Fair Trade certification of organic coffee requires fulfilling stringent environmental and social standards, such as supporting biodiversity conservation, protecting cultural heritage sites, providing safe working conditions without child labor concerns, as well as empowering women. Standards are critical components of a vibrant global economy, and to make sure that you purchase organic coffee, look for labels with one of three major organic certifications: Quality Assurance, Fair Trade or Smithsonian.