| You may have seen coffee labeled as fair trade from | | | | farmers because beans that are shade grown will |
| time to time and wondered if it was a worthwhile | | | | grow and mature more slowly. Of course, this is |
| investment. Fair trade coffee is representative of a | | | | perfect for the coffee drinker because deeper and |
| social movement that is working to promote | | | | fuller flavors are developed, but for the coffee |
| sustainable environments and reduce global poverty | | | | farmer, it can often become more expensive to |
| overall. The basis of this movement is that it | | | | cultivate shade grown beans. In this case, if a coffee |
| guarantees fair prices and wages to the coffee | | | | farmer is operating under fair trade standards, he has |
| farmer as a bottom-line so that they can work to | | | | the opportunity to grow coffee beans with shade |
| support their families and communities, while | | | | methods so that they are of a higher quality in the |
| continuing to produce an impressive coffee crop. | | | | final crop. |
| Fair trade Java was specifically designed to help poor | | | | Overall, purchasing fair trade coffee will support the |
| farmers in coffee producing countries that are hoping | | | | process of shade grown coffee. This provides |
| to produce organic and gourmet premium beans. | | | | greater benefits in the flavors of the coffee beans, |
| What many consumers may not understand is that | | | | and it also reduces deforestation and cultivates a |
| Java prices are dropping all over the world so the | | | | richer soil due to less need for fertilizers in the |
| middleman coffee retailers are make money off of | | | | process. Often times, when coffee is shade grown, |
| the customer, but normally, the coffee farmers are | | | | the larger shade trees that cover the trees provide a |
| not. For this reason, fair trade coffee became such a | | | | natural habitat for native birds so that they work as |
| necessity as consumers began to get concerned | | | | an insect repellent instead of having to use pesticides. |
| about the farmers in the coffee producing regions. | | | | If you are looking to make more of an impact in the |
| This was a topic of interest for many coffee | | | | world by demanding fair wages for Java farmers, |
| connoisseurs who hoped to continue to support local | | | | you can look for the label on all coffee beans that |
| coffee farmers and their economies. The best way | | | | you purchase. In fact, many more Java retailers are |
| to do so is through purchasing fair trade Java, which | | | | selling this coffee online than ever before due to a |
| guarantees a set wage for the Java farmers so that | | | | growing concern in the coffee loving community. If |
| they can continue to produce a quality crop of Java | | | | you are purchasing commercially, many specialty |
| without cutting corners. | | | | stores, like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, provide |
| One of the biggest factors in growing delicious | | | | selection of fair trade coffee to protect the coffee |
| coffee beans is the use of a shade covering. | | | | farmer and his crops! This is the best method for |
| However, this produces a conflict for many coffee | | | | purchasing globally conscious Java as a coffee drinker. |