About Organic Coffee
Organic coffee is produced by an approach that views the farm as an ecosystem. Emphasis is placed on recycling, composting, soil health, and biological activity with the goal of long-term protection of the farm environment. Synthetic chemicals are rigorously avoided. Stringent national standards are required to certify that specific practices are used to produce and process organic agricultural ingredients used for food and non-food purposes.
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Organically-grown coffee is not necessarily shade-grown, but it usually is. This is because the trees of the canopy provide several necessities to the organic coffee farm, among them leaf litter (which acts as a fertilizer), resident wildlife species that control pests, and the retention of moisture. Since coffee grown in the shade is slower-ripening, and often is drawn from vintage cultivars, there is the suggestion that it tastes better, with more complex flavors. However, the roasting process contributes just as much to the quality of coffee in the cup.
Shade-grown coffee is a term with no clear-cut definition, generally referring to coffee grown under a natural canopy and to farming practices nearer the "rustic" end of the shade spectrum. But unfortunately, at this time, "shade-grown coffee" can be whatever the seller says it is. A number of organizations are working to establish a standard, enforceable label, among them the Rainforest Alliance Certified program and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center’s “bird-friendly” criteria. American bird conservationists in particular are interested in shade-coffee. Depending on the species of shade trees used and the structure of the tree cover, anywhere from a few to scores of resident and migratory bird species will use Latin American and Caribbean coffee farms for food and cover. Ornithologists have consistently documented the importance of shade-coffee habitat in the increasingly deforested landscape of the Neotropics. Learn more about Bird Friendly Agricultural Practices.
Mexican coffee researchers and technicians use a 5 category system to identify the coffee farm management spectrum in terms of shade and cover - from the rare native forest canopy shade to full sun, zero shade conditions as follows:
Rustic (rusticano): The least intensified (and increasingly rare) practice where coffee shrubs are planted in the existing forest with little alteration of native vegetation. Coffee grown under a native forest canopy is slower ripening and prefered by many as the finest bean.
Traditional Polyculture (policultura tradicional): Involves more management with deliberate integration of beneficial plants (fruits, vegetables, nuts, medicinal plants, etc.). The crop diversification helps farmers in years when coffee prices are depressed. In many traditional indigenous systems there is no distinction between wild and domesticated plants and some plants are weeded, tolerated, or simply encouraged depending on household needs and the season.
Commercial Polyculture (policultura comercial): Similar to traditional polyculture but some shade is removed to make room for more coffee shrubs and higher yields. Sadly, some agrochemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) are usually needed to support the increased plant density.
Reduced or Specialized Shade (sombra especializada): Uses a single, pruned canopy species to provide shade, typically from the genera Inga, Erythrina, Gliricidia, or Grevillea. Again, some agrochemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) are usually needed to support the increased plant density.
Full sun or Unshaded Monoculture (monocultura sin sombre): Clear cuts the canopy (forest) for one objective - maximum yield for big business super market coffee, including instant coffee. Full sun, high yield coffee farming generally requires significant use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides while producing a low quality bean.
Information provided by David L. Gorsline
