There are three terms or certifications for which you will notice promoted on many specialty coffees, Organic Coffee, Fair Trade Coffee and Shade Grown or Bird Friendly Coffee. Although you may find coffees with only one of these the three actually go hand in hand. In this article I’m going to discuss the 2 most commonly known, Organic and Fair Trade. You probably are already familiar with organic, as pretty much every grocery store today carries organic products. You may see this as a “new” thing, however its a matter of going back to farming without chemicals. After decades of chemicals being used to fertilize and protect plants, a strong correlation has been found to the increase of cancer and other major health problems, for the farmers, wildlife, those living in the surrounding community, and those ingesting the product. Growing organic means growing without chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides which was being done for thousands of years before their creation. For coffee this particularly means growing the plants in the shade of other trees as it would in the wild. In order to ensure the food is grown truly without chemicals one is certified by a third party which investigates and tests the soil, leaf, and the bean where it is grown, as well as inspecting and certifying the facility where the beans are roasted to ensure no chemicals are used. Fair Trade ensures that the farmers are paid a stable and fair wage for their product. If you step back and look at the fact that the farmer who grew the beans will receive only a few cents of the $3.50 you just paid for your premium cup of coffee, you will see the importance of Fair Trade. In many countries where coffee is grown large percentages of the population live below the poverty level. As they have little or no education their options are in agriculture, growing coffee, and due to little community structure the same future awaits their children. Fair Trade helps to fund programs which provide schools for their children, health care and other social benefits that in years past were not available. A Fair Trade farmer will receive a minimum price per lb of coffee. This eliminates the fluctuation of the price of coffee due to speculation and the world economy markets. If one is also Organic certified they receive an additional price per pound. Fair Trade encourages not only Organic and Shade Grown farming practices, but goes beyond helping to fund and implement better processing facilities, recycling practices, reducing soil erosion, education and healthcare for both children and adults. Overall a sustainable farming community essential to the livelihood of many. So why choose certified Organic, Shade Grown and Fair Trade coffee? Because you get a better tasting cup as there are no chemicals, the beans were grown in a natural way, the farmers are paid a better wage care and so picked the coffee cherries at just the right time and processed them in clean efficient facilities. You also get to help the environment, provide education and healthcare, and increase the sustainability of farming as a means of survival for millions of people. Pretty easy choice if you ask us.