I enjoyed reading your story
”
Whipping Up Great Coffee
”
Saturday morning over a cup of coffee. Your reporter was
accurate in reviewing the importance of water quality, storage,
grind, etc. But to fully enjoy great coffee, you need to consider
if the coffee was grown using sustainable agricultural practices
and if the farmer or day laborer was paid a fair price for their
efforts.
Dear Editor,
I enjoyed reading your story “Whipping Up Great Coffee” Saturday morning over a cup of coffee. Your reporter was accurate in reviewing the importance of water quality, storage, grind, etc. But to fully enjoy great coffee, you need to consider if the coffee was grown using sustainable agricultural practices and if the farmer or day laborer was paid a fair price for their efforts.
Coffee growers around the world have been experiencing an economic crisis for the past several years as there is an oversupply of inexpensive, low-quality coffee coming in from countries such as Brazil and Vietnam. Most small coffee farmers and their families in places like Central America simply cannot compete with the large full-sun plantations, and many lose their land and their livelihood. Remember, too, that coffee plantations typically clear the forest, wiping out much of the bio-diversity and relying on substantial inputs of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. To really enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, consider pouring a Fair Trade/Organic/Shade Tree coffee and you will notice the difference.
Mike Monroe, Gilroy
