All About Organic Coffee

One of the questions that we are periodically asked is whether our coffee is organic.  While this should be a simple question to answer, in actuality, the real answer is somewhat convoluted.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets the standards for organic labeling in the US.  There are actually several different levels of Organic depending on whether the product is 100% organic or if it contains some non-organic ingredients.  A product can contain as much as 5% non-organic ingredients and still be labeled as Organic.  That is why those products that are 100% organic claim that on their labeling to differentiate themselves from the products that are not.  Products that contain at least 70% organic ingredients have access to the third label tier, "Made with Organic..."

For something to be labeled organic, the entire processing chain must be isolated from chains that processes conventional products.  So, in the case of organic strawberries for instance, the strawberries must be grown under organic conditions, then picked, processed, and packaged using machinery that only processes organic products. When it is shipped it must be done so in a manner to keep it from contamination by conventional products.  The production and processing chain undergoes an audit to verify that it truly is an isolated organic processing system from start to finish.

As with other products, coffee must follow the same set of rules.  The green coffee must be grown using only organic fertilizers and must be picked and processed using a a processing chain that does not process conventional products.  Ideally, the coffee should be roasted using a coffee roaster that is never used for conventional coffee.  This is where the chain breaks down.  While some larger coffee roasting companies may be able to dedicate a roaster to organic coffee, most specialty coffee companies only own one roaster.  Unless they solely process organic coffee, their roaster ends up processing both organic and non-organic coffees.  

Obviously, this breaks the cardinal processing rule about keeping organic products fully segregated, but it is one exception that the USDA is willing to allow in a nod to practicality.  The way things work is that after roasting conventional coffee, a "purge" batch of organic coffee is then roasted.  This coffee cannot be labeled organic and must be sold as conventional coffee.  The roaster, having now been purged, may be used to roast coffee that can be labeled as organic.  If this sidestep seems silly to you, you're not alone.  After all, coffee is generally roasted to a finish temperature of over 400 degrees Farenheit, so it is likely that any contaminants left over from the previous conventional roast have been incinerated.  What the purge bactch actually does (other than making it possible to check a box and raise the cost of organic coffee) is certainly an open question.

Flight does import and sell organically grown and processed green coffee and we do note those coffees in our descriptions.  What we are not willing to do is roast "throwaway" batches of coffee, especially since its really not accomplishing anything from the standpoint of organic integrity.  If organic coffee is important to you, then now you hopefully understand how the process works and have the information you need to make your purchase decisions.