Organic Fairtrade Bolivian - 1/2 lb.
Coffee with a smooth, well rounded taste and mild acidity.

What is Organic Coffee?

Organic coffee is coffee that has been produces without the use of pesticides or herbicides.  
This is both beneficial to the producer and the consumer.  
However, non-organic coffees are typically higher yielding because they are typically non-shaded coffees.  
The most common third party certification group is the Organic Crop Improvement Association.  They charge $350 for certification.  Although this is relatively inexpensive for most farms, some small producers make only $1,000 per year.

The definition of organic can be extended to include an emphasis on recycling, composting, soil health, and protection of the environment.  These are important aspects to sustainability that are both cost effective and socially responsible.


What is Fairtrade Coffee?

Fair trade coffee is coffee that is traded by bypassing the coffee trader and therefore giving the producer (and buyer) higher profits.  
Fair Trade does not necessarily mean that the extra money trickles down to the people who harvest the coffee. 
TransFair USA is an independent 3rd party certification that ensures that:

• Coffee importers agree to purchase from the small farmers included in the International Fair Trade Coffee Register.

• Farmers are guaranteed a minimum "fair trade price" of $1.26/pound FOB for their coffee. If world price rises above this floor price, farmers will be paid a small ($0.05/pound) premium above market price.

• Coffee importers provide a certain amount of credit to farmers against future sales, helping farmers stay out of debt to local coffee "coyotes" or middlemen.

• Importers and roasters agree to develop direct, long-term trade relationships with producer groups, thereby cutting out middlemen and bringing greater commercial stability to an extremely unstable market.

(Source: Fairtrade USA)