The Skinny on Coffee

No. It's Not A Diet ...

Most of us love coffee. But do you know what the certification labels mean on your coffee?

In the last post I pledged to look my beef grower in the eye and ask what was in the hamburger I was buying. But how do you look your coffee farmer in the eye? Most coffee is grown in the tropics.

While that might certainly make for interesting travel, I'm not quite there yet.

Conventional coffee is grown with pesticides, many of which are considered toxic. Organophosphates are one of those pesticides and are known to cause health issues, birth defects and death in humans, wildlife, and bees.

If that doesn't make you want to buy organic, I don't know what does!

But with coffee there are other labels I encourage you to look for.

• Fair-trade certifications ensure that farmers are paid fairly.

• Endorsement by Rainforest Alliance for training farmers in climate-adaptive agriculture and social justice issues.

• Certified bird-friendly label helps our fine-feathered friends.

...just shows there is more to a good cup of coffee than taste.

Until next week, back to the books ...

Susan Burns

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Information for this post from Cornucopia’s quarterly newsletter.