Asked, “what is organic coffee?” the short answer is that it is grown without using synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers – helping preserve the environment while producing fuller-flavored beans with complex flavors. Plus, paying fair wages means your family has sustainable income sources!

Opting to purchase organically certified coffee is one of the best things you can do for the environment and its growers, as it will have long-term positive impacts. Be part of this global movement by purchasing Carmel Valley Coffee!

Organic coffee is grown by farmers who meet stringent environmental and ecological standards set out by the USDA. Certification is verified by third-party inspectors and farms must fulfill specific requirements such as using only non-synthetic fertilizers and herbicides, not leaving chemical residues on the land for three years after harvesting, maintaining soil fertility through crop rotation and cover crops, etc.

These standards also limit the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMO), prohibit using sewage sludge and industrial waste as fertilizer, and require shade grown coffee production for its environmental health and biodiversity benefits.

To qualify as USDA organic, coffee must contain 100 percent certified organic ingredients – this standard may be difficult for smaller farms outside the US to meet, as organic regulations are less clear-cut. You may still see products with 95-percent or greater organic ingredients, excluding salt and water.

There are various eco-certifications you might find on coffee packages. While these typically meet more general ecological criteria than USDA Organic certification, they can often provide small and mid-sized farms with affordable solutions for organic certification.

Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance is a non-governmental organization that offers sustainable agriculture certifications for various crops, such as coffee. Although this certification doesn’t guarantee organic status, its requirements include engaging in environmentally-friendly practices that reduce soil erosion. Farmers who meet certain criteria – including creating buffer zones around their coffee trees to prevent other crops not certified under its system and having plans in place to limit soil loss – can earn rewards.

Fair Trade is a system which gives farmers a premium above the standard purchase price in exchange for democratically investing that extra revenue into areas they deem important to them. While not an ecological certification system, Fair Trade encourages shade cultivation and offers rewards to farmers who integrate biodiversity into their coffee production.

Nectar of Life offers only Fair Trade, Organic and Certified Bird-Friendly coffees – practices which protect the environment while paying living wages to coffee farmers in developing nations, leading to delicious shade grown coffee with deeper flavors. We are pleased to support this global movement while sharing our love of these exceptional beverages!