Those seeking environmentally and ethically sound coffee sources should consider organic certification as the solution. Organic farming goes beyond simply foregoing chemicals and pesticides in favor of sustainable practices that foster healthy soil, ecosystems and consumers – creating premium coffee that’s healthy both consumers and farmers.

One of the easiest and most convenient ways to have your coffee certified as organic is through a USDA-approved agency, with rigorous evaluation processes that certify their ability to verify compliance with organic standards. However, producers should keep in mind that applying and auditing can incur fees.

Coffee producers may seek multiple international certifications in order to gain entry to markets with specific criteria, including shade requirements, buffer zones between organic and non-organic crops, and ecological criteria. Maintaining multiple organic certifications may present producers with challenges as they must manage varying requirements while keeping detailed documentation of their practices.

Certifying your coffee as organic may be time consuming and costly, but its advantages outweigh its costs. Notably, certification assures consumers that they are purchasing coffee grown responsibly while opening up premium pricing opportunities – often up to 40% more than conventionally grown beans.

Organic certification provides consumers with an opportunity to see where their money is being spent, providing transparency that makes a tangible difference for those searching for ethically produced goods.

Many growers and cooperatives choose organic certification for financial reasons. Coffee buyers pay premiums for certified beans, which can help cover some of the expenses related to certification – this is especially beneficial for small farms without as strong of market presence such as Starbucks or larger roasters.

Organic production also involves more manual labor. From mixing compost, hand weeding and washing the beans by hand to maintaining organic certification can be time-consuming and expensive, creating additional challenges for cooperatives that lack the budget needed to remain certified organic. I know of at least two instances in which organic status was lost due to inability to pay certification costs.

Individual farmers ultimately determine if organic certification is right for them, based on their desire to do good for the environment, community and their farm. Organic certification offers many benefits: reduced chemical inputs and outputs while creating healthier soils and ecosystems while offering transparency make organic certification worthwhile investments both for farmers and roasters. I believe organic options need to become mainstream options for consumers everywhere – by working closely with partners like us we can lead the way towards this end.