Sustainability
To us, sustainability means many things. By trying to define sustainability we must explore all those things that will nurture, enrich and maintain a healthy environment and human community. We, as coffee roasters, and you, as coffee consumers can choose to seek out products that follow the path of sustainability as well as quality in the cup.
Organic
Organic coffees are grown and processed without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. The rise in demand for quality, organically grown coffees has caused more and more growers to pay closer attention to farming methods that result in a healthier local environment, cleaner watershed and a better tasting cup of coffee. Certified organic means that the farms and processing plants are being inspected and certified by a third party certifying agency. Many organic farmers cannot afford the costly certification, yet still adhere to sustainable growing and processing practices. All of Joebella's coffees are organic and most are certified organic. Joebella's roastery is now certified organic by CCOF.
Shade Grown
Shade grown coffees are those that are grown under the canopies of shade trees. This maintains a habitat for birds and other creatures, such as bees, that help to pollinate the coffee trees. It also helps enrich the soil with natural compost and stabilizes soil and hillsides with their root systems. Most of Joebella's coffees are shade grown.
Fair Trade
"Fair Trade" is all about insuring the welfare of the coffee growers and their families. Trading fairly means buying green coffee beans at a price that allows farmers to prosper and grow. Certified Fair Trade coffees are those that are collected and sold through membership co-ops monitered by an independant non profit certification group such as TransFair USA. The co-ops must adhere to TransFair's guidelines providing safe and healthy working conditions and a living wage for workers. TransFair pays even higher guaranteed prices to growers who supply certified organic beans, thereby increasing the incentive to become certified organic. Most of Joebella's organic coffees proudly display the Fair Trade certified label.
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