What is fair trade coffee

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In 1732, Bach wrote a coffee cantata.

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Cimarron Books
& Coffeehouse
380 West Sherman
P.O. Box 216
Ridgway, CO 81432
(970) 626-5858
fax (970) 626-

Priscilla Peters, Owner

What is Fair Trade Coffee

The four basic guidelines for fair trade coffee are:

Coffee importers agree to purchase from the small farmers included in the International Fair Trade Coffee Register.
Farmers are guaranteed a minimum "fair trade price" of $1.26/pound FOB for their coffee. If world price rises above this floor price, farmers will be paid a small ($0.05/pound) premium above market price.
Coffee importers provide a certain amount of credit to farmers against future sales, helping farmers stay out of debt to local coffee "coyotes" or middlemen.
Importers and roasters agree to develop direct, long-term trade relationships with producer groups, thereby cutting out middlemen and bringing greater commercial stability to an extremely unstable market.

What's the environmental connection?

Sustainable economics is a key concept in current and future conservation work. And fair trade coffee is built upon sustainable economics.
Small farmers, though not able to afford "official certification", use organic methods.
Small farmers plant shade grown coffee on small pieces of property dispered throughout a region.
Shade grown is better for birds than estate grown coffee. Small farmers are stewards of their own land and prevent the development of larger estates.

Coffee is the second largest trade commodity in the world, next to oil. If consumer demand can be created around this product, it can be replicated to other farming products that affect different ecosystems of the world, thereby improving the preservation of biodiversity. Cimarron is happy to offer proof of our commitment to ensure farmers receive adequate compensation for their work. Extra funds generated from sales of Fair Trade certified coffees fund promotional efforts and field trips to ensure integrity of the "paper trail".