Nothing beats a hot steaming cup of coffee to awaken the nerves and stimulate tired senses. While a cup of Joe may tempt relentlessly, many environmentally conscious people would reject the purchase of over-the-counter, mass produced coffee from your traditional store. For good reason: many of the manufacturing methods used to make non-organic coffee have been proven to damage the environment through toxins, pesticides, and fertilizers used throughout production. In order for organic coffee to claim its title and have seals of approval throughout the States, it has to follow a set of guidelines established by the US Department of Agriculture that regulates organic production. Organic coffee must stray clear of synthetic pesticides and its farmers must have crop rotation systems in place to prevent soil nutrients from depleting along with sufficient pest control. Given the nature of the organic coffee production process, its market is steadily climbing in the States with total sales reaching close to 90 million in 2005, a nearly 50 percent jump from 2004. In addition, organic coffee is being sold by more specialty coffee firms than ever, a testament to its growing popularity. Organic coffee continues to remain a premium product at extravagant prices. Currently, a 12 oz. bag of dark roasted shade grown fair trade organic coffee can climb upwards of $12. Light roasted organic coffee goes for about $3 less, depending on the store you’re buying it from. Adding to organic coffee’s exclusivity is the size of the world organic coffee market which remains mired at less than 1 percent in all of the major coffee consuming countries. Despite its status, this item continues to be diverse, offering organic coffee products that include coffee sodas, decaffeinated, caffeinated, and flavored coffees. All in all, remember that organic coffee is a safe alternative to the mass produced, environmentally unconscious coffees made today. For more information on organic coffee or for organic coffee recipes
Scott Wilson has been a importer and roaster of <A HREF="http://www.uniqueroasts.com">organic coffee</A> for over a decade. He is also the owner of Stonehill Manor Coffee
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