All About Certified Organic Coffee

What Does Certified Organic Coffee Mean?

When you see the words certified organic coffee on the label at the grocery store you may be asking, just what does it mean?

Well, this is your way of separating the "somewhat" organic – which means that the coffee may be partially organic, but the manufacturer have mixed their organic coffee with other chemicals during processing, from the wholly organic.

Still confused what it means?

Certified organic coffee means that every element from growing to processing has been done via methods and procedures that are environmentally safe. It means that through inspections, it has been deemed to use nothing but standards that are environmentally safe to produce the coffee. Which means that the coffee is free of potentially harmful chemicals and the soil, as well as the environment has been protected from harm.

Certification is done by a third party.

The United States has specific standards outlined for organic products and the certification is required to be performed by any agency that has received the United States Department of Agriculture accreditation.

In order to be deemed certifiably organic, the farm is required to refrain from using any type of prohibited or synthetic substances for a minimum of three years. It also outlines a plan for crop rotation, which is used to prevent and control pests, nutrient depletion, and erosion.

Provided that the coffee is made up of at least 95% ingredients that are organic and has received certification, you will see the organic seal of the USDA. You can also identify the products, along with the seal, by the words organic or 100% organic.

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What is Organic Coffee?

Organic coffee is produced using only materials and methods of production that are safe for the environment. Of course, the soil must be fertile to grow, therefore they use production systems that are designed to be organic and keep the soil fertile at the same time. This is done to prevent or reduce toxic fertilizers and pesticides during the growing process.

Shade grown coffee is a really ecological and environmentally sound choice. When companies and coffee farmers elect to grow their plants in a shade grown manner the plants that house the beans are planted in a way that they lay in the shade of trees that are large and provide shade to the shrubs. As a result of this manner in cultivation, various types of wildlife, like birds, can make their home in and around the shrubs, trees, and other plant life.

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Where is Organic Coffee Grown?

You can find certified organic coffee beans being grown in forty different countries. These countries include top producers of organic coffee Mexico, Ethiopia, and Peru.

Other countries include Brazil, Panama, Thailand, Venezuela, Hawaii (within the United States), Colombia, Cuba, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, China, Burundi, Cameroon, Ecuador, Ghana, El Salvador, Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Lao PDR, Malawi, Togo, Timore-Leste, Trinidad, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Vietnam.

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The Coffee Market and Type of Organic Coffee Products

The certified organic coffee market is a booming one. Each year, more than 148 million lbs of organic coffee is produced and sold. North Americans are responsible for the consumption of 44% of this production, with 85% of that being within the United States alone.

What is more is that the certified organic coffee market has grown to include almost all of your favorites. These favorites might include chocolate covered coffee beans, coffee hard candies, coffee sodas, coffee yogurt, coffee ice cream, instant coffee, flavored coffee, and your choice of caffeinated or decaffeinated certified organic coffee.

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Certified Organic Coffee Versus Fair Trade

The certified fair trade was established to ensure that the small farmer has the opportunity to compete with the big producers. What this means is that through standards in trade and labor, the smaller farmer has the opportunity to take advantage of a guaranteed sale price.

This price is higher than the conventional price within the market. However, it is important to understand that even if the coffee is fair trade certified, it is not always going to be organic.

There are some environmental safety precautions within Fair Trade, but nothing like the certified organic coffee requirements. Fair trade does prohibit farmers from using dangerously hazard pesticides and modified organisms, but still allows for the use of some chemicals during the growing and processing phases.

With certified organic coffee, you are assured that the product has been certified by the Department of Agriculture within the United States. And that it has taken the necessary precautions and steps to ensure that the use of environmentally friendly elements is followed strategically.

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