With more and more grocery stores stocking organic products, buying organic coffee has never been simpler. From Starbucks to small artisan roasters – your options for organic beverages are almost limitless!

By choosing organic coffee, you are supporting sustainable farming techniques that promote environmental health and farmer wellbeing. Here are the key players involved in the organic coffee supply chain.

Farmer

Organic farming eliminates the use of harmful pesticides and insecticides that would otherwise find their way into consumer coffee products, harming not only farmers but also consumers. Thankfully, consumers do have some say over which coffee they drink and can support farms that grow organic coffee by choosing to buy from farms that cultivate it sustainably.

Organic cultivation offers numerous advantages to both farmers and the environment, protecting wildlife while increasing revenue for them. Coffee produced organically also tends to have higher quality as it does not come into contact with harmful pesticides used during conventional coffee production.

Many farmers choose organic conversion of their farmland as it increases revenue; however, it does present challenges. Farmers must commit fully and have all necessary resources available for it to succeed successfully. In addition, buyers need to be worked with to sell organic coffee as this forms part of their income source.

Small-scale farmers looking to organically farm coffee should join an organic coffee cooperative. This allows them to learn the best ways to cultivate coffee while managing its certification process – and can lead to buyers willing to pay a premium price for it!

Equal Exchange partners with farmer-owned co-ops that are certified organic and fair trade, which help rebuild communities by regenerating lush forests destroyed by industrial coffee growing practices. When these forests return to their original condition, they become home for wild plants and animals while contributing to soil fertility preservation and unique regional ecosystems.

Roberto, who belongs to RAOS Cooperative in Marcala, Peru, has been organic coffee farming for two decades. When they initially switched, their yield dropped significantly – from 25 sacks per half hectare down to 8! He credits Andrea Futterer and Sustainable Harvest’s help in understanding how best to cultivate high-quality organic coffee that now yields sufficient income for his family’s support.

Roaster

No matter if you’re an avid Starbucks consumer, an experienced java enthusiast, or just in need of a cup of Joe, organic coffee offers plenty of choices when it comes to selection. From whole beans to K-Cups and instant, organic is believed to be more expensive but is better for the planet, being free from pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers. Read on to discover some of the best and cheapest organic coffee brands online (that have all three certifications – Certified Organic, Fair Trade, and Fair Labor certified)!

Mendocino County’s rustic meadows inspired this delicate balance between soft sweetness and satisfying body.

Retailer

Some coffee enthusiasts might suggest that the main distinction between organic and non-organic whole bean or ground coffee boils down to taste; however, its production differs drastically. Organic coffee beans are grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers so as to retain their original flavors while being free from unwanted additives; making organic an ideal choice for anyone concerned with health effects from chemicals.

Organic farming practices provide benefits to the environment by conserving and enriching the surrounding ecosystem, using natural organic matter such as chicken manure, coffee pulp and bocachi as fertilizers to avoid soil contamination while fighting climate change by reducing carbon emissions and sequestering carbon.

Organic farms tend to be shade-grown, which promotes biodiversity and forest preservation. By forgoing pesticides and fertilizers, organic farmers are able to keep their land healthy for years.

When purchasing organic coffee, it’s essential that you select a retailer carefully. A reputable organic retailer will only sell certified organic beans sourced from certified farms that have undergone USDA inspection and followed stringent manufacturing processes during roasting to guarantee high-quality genuine organic beans for sale. They should also offer excellent customer service along with an array of varieties from around the globe to suit individual taste preferences.