Fair Trade News

Published Jan 01, 2006

Beans & Leaves
By Kristin V. Montalvo

Coffee Corner
Sustainable Coffee at a Glance
After what seems like an eternity of slow progress, a barrage of media exposure has helped raise consumer awareness of the growing crisis in the world coffee market.

Americans are taking notice and beginning to buy their cup of coffee with an extra shot of consciousness. The term for this practice is commonly referred to as sustainability. While there is no single, clear-cut agreed-upon definition in the industry, sustainable coffee, logically, is coffee grown in a manner that is kind to both the environment and to the people who farm it.

Coffee can be certified as sustainable in three ways: Fair Trade, bird-friendly/shade-grown, and certified organic. Now that nearly half of all shoppers consider the ethical dimension of goods, it is important for retailers to understand these terms and their basic definitions in order to gain a competitive edge, reduce costs, and improve the health of both planet and people.

Fair Trade Certified
Fair Trade is perhaps the strongest representation today of efforts to bring greater social and economic sustainability to the coffee sector, particularly with regard to small producers. The chief concern of Fair Traders is to ensure that the world's coffee farmers receive a fair price for their harvest in order to achieve a decent living wage. This enables farmers to stay on their land, put food on their tables, and keep their children in school instead of working in the fields.

At the heart of the program, importers and roasters agree to develop direct, long-term trade relationships with producer groups, cutting out middlemen and bringing greater commercial stability to an extremely unstable market. The Fair Trade movement is based upon the idea that producers in developing countries are capable of achieving economic success, provided they receive fair prices in international markets for what they produce. Roasters then pass the savings on to the farmers in the form of a minimum Fair-Trade price, which currently ranges from $1.26 to $1.41 per pound, depending upon the coffees' origin and additional organic certification. If world prices rise above this floor price, farmers will be paid a small ($0.05/pound) premium above market price. Coffee importers also must give a certain amount of credit to farmers against future sales.

In return, Fair Trade farmers are required to grow their crops with respect to the environment, without the use of pesticides (which usually makes Fair Trade coffee certified organic and shade-grown as well) and to bar child labor during the school year.

The Fair Trade movement is not an overnight sensation. In fact, the first Fair Trade certification initiative was launched by Max Havellar in Holland in 1988. Max Havellar sought to push Fair Trade coffee beyond the small, mission-driven alternative trade organizations by essentially enticing bigger, profit-driven coffee roasters and pushing Fair Trade into mainstream supermarkets. In 1997, the international umbrella agency Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) was formed to set criteria defining Fair Trade products, including coffee, tea, bananas, cocoa, sugar, honey, and orange juice.

Fast forward to 2006, when several national Fair Trade chapters were organized by the FLO. Among them was TransFair USA, the only independent U.S. certifier of Fair Trade products. TransFair USA assumes a dual role through certification and aggressive promotion and consumer education around Fair Trade coffee.

Key industry associations have served as catalysts for enhancing awareness in the industry. The SCAA formed a Fair Trade Task Force in 2000 to ensure that its members understood Fair Trade issues and opportunities, and in 2001, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TransFair USA to collaborate in a joint effort to improve the livelihoods of coffee farmers. The National Coffee Association has also begun incorporating sustainability issues into its membership discussions.

Bird Friendly/Shade Grown
Almost interchangeable, these terms generally describe coffee that is grown under a natural canopy of shade trees that protect the bird habitat rather than stripping the land of trees to maximize production. Shade-grown coffee is often grown on small farms using traditional techniques and provides food and shelter for songbirds, as well as other animals and plants. As rainforests disappear, shade coffee farms offer one of the last places for birds to feed and rest in many tropical regions.

Beyond the benefit that shade provides to migratory birds, it also affects coffee grown at high altitudes. The shade slows down the coffee growth, which results in the production of more sugars and the chemicals responsible for the acidity in coffee.

Interest in shade-grown coffee has risen in response to the rapid deforestation of large areas of Latin America for coffee production but unlike organic and Fair Trade certification, there is still no standard, enforceable label for shade-grown coffee. A number of organizations are working to establish a standard label, including the Rainforest Alliance's ECO-OK program and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center's "Bird-Friendly" criteria.

Rainforest Alliance Certified
The Rainforest Alliance's Eco-OK program was the first coffee certification program to include shade trees in the criteria as part of overall land stewardship and watershed protection. Eco-OK criteria also include specific social standards that address worker safety and living conditions.

Social and environmental criteria for Rainforest Alliance Certification involves nine universal principles, including ecosystem conservation; wildlife conservation; fair treatment and good conditions for workers; fostering community relations; integrated crop management; complete, integrated management of wastes; conservation of water resources; soil conservation; and planning and monitoring.

When they choose coffee with the Rainforest Alliance Certified label, consumers are helping protect the rainforest, and ensuring that farmers are receiving fair prices and workers are earning livable wages. For a complete listing of Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee, visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center "Bird-Friendly" Certified
In 1997, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) established a set of criteria for labeling shade-grown coffee. According to the SMBC, Bird-friendly coffees are the only coffees on the market that are certified as shade-grown and organic and involve conservation of the entire living habitat that supports migrant birds. These criteria are used for the awarding of the "Bird-Friendly" seal.

Companies that sell Bird-Friendly coffees contribute 25 cents per pound to support SMBC research and conservation programs. For a complete list of Bird-Friendly certified coffees, visit www.si.edu/smbc.

Certified Organic
Produced by an approach that views the farm as an ecosystem, organic coffee is coffee that has been produced without the employment of pesticides or herbicides. The definition of organic can also be extended to include an emphasis on recycling, composting, soil health, and biological activity with a goal of long-term protection of the farm environment.

In 1990, Congress passed the Organic Foods Production Act, requiring the USDA to develop national standards for products labeled "organic." The National Organic Program (NOP) requires that agricultural products labeled as organic originate from farms or handling operations certified by a state or a private, third-party entity (such as The Organic Crop Improvement Association and Quality Assurance International) that has been accredited by the USDA. In 2002, the USDA unveiled a list of regulations coffee growers must follow before they can display the "USDA Certified Organic" seal.

According to the NOP, products labeled "100-percent organic" must contain only organically produced ingredients. Products labeled "organic" must consist of at least 95-percent organically produced ingredients. Products meeting the requirements may display the seal.

Certified Organic coffees are grown without the usage of any of the common pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides used in producing regular coffee. Similar to Fair Trade, the purchase of Certified Organic coffee creates the ability for farmers to compete against large coffee interests.

Organically grown coffees can usually be considered shade-grown as well. This is because the canopy of trees provide several necessities to the organic coffee farm, including leaf litter (which acts as a natural fertilizer), wildlife species that serve as a pest control, and moisture retention. However, it should be noted that not every organic coffee farm is also a shade farm. In Columbia, Costa Rica, and Brazil, for example, a few organic coffee farms still grow coffee under full sun or limited, specialized shade.

Tea Readings
Spotlight on White Tea
Is it the New Green?
You've heard of black, green, and even red, but when it comes to tea, white may just be the new "in" color. Considered the crème de la crème of tea, white tea is gaining popularity in the U.S. due to its unique and exquisite flavor range and numerous health benefits. While it's not everyone's cup of tea yet, white tea may prove to be the next giant tea trend to hit the market.

History
Largely unknown outside China and the Orient until recently, Chinese tea drinkers have been hip to the pale brew for centuries. White tea became revered during the Song Dynasty (960–1279) when it was given as tribute to the emperor and the royal court. White tea leaves were ground into a fine, silvery powder, which was then whisked in bowls and used during the famous Song tea ceremony. Although it later became extinct in China, this Song style of serving tea evolved into the famous Japanese tea ceremony, which still continues today.

White tea was once only produced on a limited scale in China's Fujian province and Sri Lanka, but now some of the finest come from the Darjeeling region of northern India.

White tea is made from young leaves that have been picked within a two-day period during early spring, shortly before the buds open. The tea derives its name from the fine, silver fuzz that covers the buds, which turns white once dried.

Variety is the Spice of Life
The exact proportion of buds to leaves varies depending on the variety of white tea, which is classified into four poetically named categories:

Yin Zhen Bai Hao, or "Silver Needle" is made completely from spring-picked, inch-long downy buds. It has a fresh, sweet fragrance and produces a pale yellow brew. Its taste is delicate with a clean, mellow sweetness. It is considered the "Rolls Royce" of the white teas.

Bai Mudan, or "White Peony" is made from the buds that remain after the Silver Needle has been harvested. Prized for its low astringency, it is sweet and mild, yet more full bodied. Once brewed, White Peony has a more pronounced scent described as a fresh bamboo fragrance. Its flavor is also stronger than Silver Needle, and it dispenses subtle notes of honey, chestnut, oak, and vanilla.

The third grade, Gongmei, or "Tribute Eyebrow," is made from "chaicha" bushes and is processed slightly differently than the others. Shou Mei, or "Noble" and "Long Life Eyebrow," is a mix of tips and upper leaf and it exudes a strong flavor similar to Oolong. Considered the fourth grade of white tea, it is plucked later; hence, the slightly darker color.

It's All in the Process
So, what's so special about white tea? Most tea experts know that all tea comes from the Camilla sinensis plant, but what separates white tea from black, oolong, and green is the way it's processed. The more oxygen the leaves absorb during processing, the darker the color. Black tea is the darkest and therefore, the most heavily processed, followed by oolong. In contrast, green tea is unfermented and only minimally processed.

Like green tea, white tea is unfermented, but rather than being rolled like green tea, the leaves are withered and then carefully selected to be baked dry. Due to this lack of processing, the tea leaves are left closest to their natural state, which preserves their powerful health-promoting benefits, including higher levels of polyphenols, the powerful antioxidants that fight cancer.

Germ & Cavity Fighter
Need another reason to promote white tea? A 2004 study indicated that white tea may even top green tea in its ability to fight off viruses and infection-causing bacteria like Streptococcus (the bacteria that causes strep throat) and pneumonia.

"Our research shows that white tea can actually destroy in vitro the organisms that cause disease, and because white tea is less processed than green, the antimicrobial material is more preserved," explained Milton Schiffenbauer, Ph.D., a microbiologist and professor in the Department of Biology at Pace University's Dyson College of Arts & Sciences and primary author of the research. "People are finally beginning to realize the positive effects of white tea. You're going to see a lot more white tea on the market. My guess is that it will probably take over (green tea) in about a year."

Dr. Schiffenbauer's study also discovered that white tea helps prevent the growth of dental plaque, the primary cause of tooth decay.

"I think we've opened up a whole can of worms with this study," Schiffenbauer said. "White tea is definitely getting up there."

The Perfect Cup
Experts agree on one thing when it comes to brewing that perfect cup of tea — white tea, like green tea, should never be brewed using boiling water. This can ruin the delicate nature of the flavor. Instead, use fresh water that is in the 170° to 185° F range. Because white tea leaves are much less dense and compact than other types, you'll want to increase the amount of tea leaves you normally use, starting with at least two teaspoons per eight ounces of water. Specific steeping times can vary depending on the type of white tea, generally 3–4 minutes, though purveyors of Silver Needles frequently recommend steeping the tea for up to 15 minutes.

Barista's Recipe Corner
Calling all baristi! Starting this month, we will be featuring a signature recipe for coffee and tea drinks. If you have a tempting drink you'd to share with your colleagues, please send your recipe, along with a high-resolution photograph of the finished drink to Kristin Montalvo We'd like to thank Monin for getting the ball rolling with the following recipe.

PEPPERMINT LATTE
1 Shot Espresso
1/2 oz. Dark Chocolate Sauce
1/2 oz. Peppermint
Steamed Milk or Half & Half

GARNISH
Peppermint-flavored Whipped Cream
1 Peppermint Stick

PREPARATION
Combine in warm mug.
Top with Peppermint-flavored
Whipped Cream.
Garnish with a crushed peppermint stick.
Drinking Coffee May Prevent High Blood Pressure in Women
A recent study suggests that women who drank four or more cups of regular or decaf coffee daily were about 7 to 12 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who drank little or no coffee. Dr. Wolfgang Winkelmayer, the study's lead author and a researcher at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, concluded that may be the case because coffee contains antioxidants, which are thought to help protect the heart and reduce risk of certain types of cancers. Previous data on coffee and hypertension has been mixed, but coffee drinkers in the study were no more likely than non-coffee drinkers to develop high blood pressure during 12 years of follow-up.