Organic coffee is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic farmers abide by the law.
Mission Grounds Coffee offers gourmet coffee in simple bags that will make a difference. The company is a non-profit corporation that devotes 100 percent of its profits to support non-profit missions that benefit children. The company was founded by a small group of friends after returning from mission trips where they realized children suffer the most in poor economic conditions. The company helps children in Russia, Indonesia Kenya and South Africa, China and Sudan. To learn more about Mission Grounds Coffee, please visit www.missiongrounds.com
In order for coffee to be certified and sold as organic in the United States, it must be produced in accordance with U.S. standards for organic production and certified by an agency accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. U.S. requirements for organic coffee production include farming without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances for three years and a sustainable crop rotation plan to prevent erosion, the depletion of soil nutrients, and control for pests.1
Organic Trade Association data shows that organic coffee sales in the United States amounted to approximately $110 million in 2006, up 24 percent from the previous year.2 A more recent study shows the figure could be much higher. A 2008 survey by Daniele Giovannucci reported that approximately 81 million pounds of organic coffee were imported into the United States and Canada in 2007 with a retail value of approximately $1 billion. He estimates the organic coffee sector represented nearly 3 percent of the total U.S. green coffee imports in 2007.3 The 32 percent annual average growth rate for the organic category documented by Giovannucci between 2000 and 2007 dwarfs the estimated 1.5-2 percent annual growth rate of the conventional coffee industry.
Organic coffee is grown in 40 countries including Bolivia, Burundi, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lao PDR, Madagascar, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timore-Leste, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, United States (Hawaii), Venezuela, Vietnam, and Zambia. The leading producer countries are Peru, Ethiopia, and Mexico.4
Global sales of organic coffee reached 67,000 metric tons (or about 148 million pounds) in 2006, a 56 percent increase from 2003 when approximately 42,000 MT were exported.5 Forty-
Mission Grounds Gourmet Coffee is a non profit organization, a 501 C Corporation, dedicated to helping children. Our main focus is to help orphans and children in need; impoverished children in third world countries and homeless children in inner city neighborhoods in the United States.
Mission Grounds is currently helping children in the US, China, Russia, Costa Rica, South Africa, Kenya and Venezuela. We provide support in many ways; from food to shelter and clothing. We also provide monthly support in Africa, Russia, Costa Rica, China and Venezuela.
We are currently engaged in two large construction projects which include building a school in China and an orphanage in Venezuela. Both projects should be completed by Spring 2008. Plans are also under way to build another school in China and another orphanage in Venezuela for 2008. We are also looking at construction projects in Nigeria and in Sudan.
