As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I participated this year for the first time in the SCAA’s annual Symposium. I realized what a coffee geek I am when I felt mildly star-struck by my contact with such luminaries as James Hoffman, Peter Giuliano, Geoff Watts, Aida Batlle, and others similarly positioned in the industry’s stratosphere. […]
I had the enormous privilege last week of providing some brief commentary at the SCAA‘s annual Symposium following the world premiere of the After the Harvest documentary, which focuses on the issue of seasonal hunger in the coffeelands. When Hal Hamilton of Sustainable Food Lab gave the keynote to open Symposium, he encouraged participants to […]
SCAA 2011 preview – the view from the coffeelands.
The SCAA’s annual Symposium and 23d annual expo are right around the corner. Both events will screen a new documentary titled “After the Harvest: Hunger in the Coffeelands.” Get a sneak preview here. A note from the producers: “This film was created, with support from the Coffee Trust and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, to educate […]
Images from our pulp natural pilot in Nicaragua — this is what innovation looks like in the community of Las Sabanas.
Last week I made the not-so-bold prediction that 2011 will be The Year of the GCQRI. Today I consider whether that is an entirely good thing.
What do current market prices mean for certifications?
Last week I reflected on the implications of current market prices: the good, the bad and the ugly. This week, more comment on the current state of the market, starting with one Fair Trade roaster’s take on what it is calling “The New Coffee Crisis.”
As we move into full harvest season here in Central America, prices are at record highs, putting pressure on cooperatives, importers and roasters. One importer friend offered this blunt assessment: “It is going to be ugly.”
Lest someone think the subsidies we are providing to reduce farmer risk are the exclusive domain of development agencies and NGOs that spend other peoples’ money, I want to share some details today about a roaster that has taken a similar approach. Equal Exchange, the pioneering Fair Trade roaster, is paying a farmer organization in El Salvador to implement new post-harvest practices, without regard to cup quality.
