What is Fair Trade, Organic and The Rain Forest Alliance?
February 3, 2011 by K-Cupper
Filed under All Reviews, Fair Trade Coffee, Featured, K Cups Best Price, Organic K-Cups, Rain Forest Alliance
What is Fair Trade, Organic and The rain Forest Alliance?
These are all terms we see on our coffee packaging, on the shelves at Starbucks, and other coffee houses here in the US and all over the world. For those of you who are unfamiliar with these terms, we will define them here for you.
What is Fair Trade?
Fair Trade Certified
Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm employees to raise themselves from poverty by means of investing in their farms as well as communities, preserving environmental surroundings, and developing the business expertise essential to participate within the global market place.
TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only independent, third-party certifier for Fair Trade goods within the U.S. and one of 20 members of Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO). TransFair’s thorough audit system, which monitors goods coming from farm to completed product, verifies industry compliance using Fair Trade standards. TransFair will allow U.S. businesses to show the Fair Trade Certified™ content label upon goods that satisfy rigid Fair Trade requirements.
Fair Trade Certification is presently available in the U.S. for coffee, tea and herbs, cocoa and chocolate, fresh fruit, sugar, rice, and vanilla.
What is Organic?
USDA Organic
Organic coffee is coffee that’s been grown in accordance with organic farming requirements and methods, without using synthetic fertilizers, inorganic pesticides or weed killers. The phrase organic may also reference farms, or goods from them which integrate socially responsible actions such as recycling, composting, soil health and ecological protections.
What is The Rain Forest Alliance?
Rain Forest Alliance
The Rain Forest Alliance Certified seal of approval makes it simple for buyers to recognize they’re purchasing a product which was grown or produced sustainably. The businesses which market these items additionally make certain their potential customers understand they’re good neighbors within their communities, and they care for their employees and safeguard the environment.
Within the auspices of the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), a global coalition of leading conservation organizations, the Rain Forest Alliance works together with farmers to make sure compliance using the SAN requirements for safeguarding wildlife, wild lands, workers’ legal rights and nearby communities. Farms which satisfy these types of demanding requirements are usually awarded the Rain Forest Alliance Certified seal.
