What is Fair Trade Organic Coffee?

What is Fair Trade Organic Coffee?
by Wayne Rasku

labor. And since most of these plantations are not in industrialized countries, there
are workers who are severely underpaid and overworked. It is just a fact of life when
the only jobs available take advantage of those who labor.

Another negative fact about big business is that it is easier to strip the vegetation off
the land and use chemical fertilizers to "put back" necessary soil nutrients than it is to
allow the cash crop to grow as nature intended.

Fair Trade Organic Coffee is practically the opposite of big business coffee. Growers
who have agreed to the Fair Trade policy are paying their workers a decent wage.
They pay enough for workers to be able to live a modest lifestyle from what they
make working on their farms.

Organic coffee is grown without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It can
be done this way because the bean producing plants are grown as they would in
nature. The plants normally grown in partial shade and at higher elevations where it is
not so hot. Coffee grows in tropical climates (between the Tropic of Cancer and the
Tropic of Capricorn) around the world. But it usually grows at higher elevations where
it is not as hot.

So the benefits may seem quite obvious.

First, as mentioned, the folks who depend upon coffee for a living actually get
paid enough to survive.

Second, coffee farmers take pride in their product, and work diligently to grow
first rate organic beans.

Third, the environment is preserved in nearly its natural state on organic coffee
farms. On large commercial plantations, soil is stripped of its natural goodness
and must be supplemented with chemical fertilizers.

Fourth, the taste of Fair Trade Organic Coffee is naturally more rich and flavorful
than that which is grown on large plantations. Coffee grown in the shade as
naturally intended develops more flavor because the beans ripen slower. This
allows more natural sugars to develop inside the bean, thus giving a richer
flavor.

Finally, the natural environment around the java plants - the shade trees - are a
natural home to birds. Research has shown that there is a decrease in the natural
bird population and migration in areas where forests have been stripped to plant huge
plantations.

You can find fair trade organic coffee in most stores. You just need to pay attention
to the labels. It does cost a little more, but the benefits do outweigh the additional
cost. If you don't find what you want, check the Internet. There are a host of
resources available online.

About The Author

Wayne Rasku

Find out more about Fair Trade at .
You deserve a great cup of coffee!

First, a little background. Coffee is the
second largest money-making
commodity in the world. It is second
only to oil. This means that it is big
business. Really BIG business. Large
companies are in business to make
money, and they will produce this
profitable commodity as economically
as they can in order to meet their
financial goals.

Unfortunately, their goal of making
money does not benefit workers who
are engaged in the production and
harvesting process. Coffee
plantations pay as little as possible for

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The content on
this website is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician before using natural
remedies and before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program.