Bird Friendly Coffee Certification

In 2013 we began our partnership with the smithsonian to add a bird friendly certified coffee to our lineup.

Bird friendly coffee certification.

Smbc s bird friendly coffee designation is the world s only 100 organic and 100 shade grown coffee certification and translates to the healthiest farms. However these are combined with organic certification audits and bird friendly certification lasts for three years not just one. Using smithsonian conservation science the bird friendly gold standard does more than other eco friendly seals to protect habitat which is often destroyed to make way for coffee growing. See a list of certified bird friendly farms learn about the benefits of this farming technique and review the requirements for bird friendly s certified shade grown coffee farmers.

Preserving expansive and diverse forests in central and south america are necessary to. Find a bird friendly farm. Beyond preservation of ecosystems and diversity of species bird friendly stewardship also results in soil conservation pest control pollination water storage carbon storage and climate change mitigation. The smithsonian migratory bird center developed the bird friendly coffee certification after years of research on migratory birds and the potential coffee farms have to provide birds a habitat.

The smithsonian migratory bird center smbc developed the bird friendly designation in order to protect migratory birds and their habitats as well as the people who depend on coffee for their livelihoods. What is bird friendly coffee. In a further twist only an estimated 10 percent of bird friendly certified coffee beans actually carry the bird friendly label on the package because retailers often opt to put more widely recognized but less stringent labels on the packages see our guide to sustainable coffee labels. Bird friendly is a certification created by the smithsonian migratory bird center smbc which is part of the national zoo based in washington d c.

When you drink bird friendly certified coffee you brew a more biodiverse sustainable world. As we reported in october bird friendly coffee makes up less than 1 percent of total u s. Importers pay a fee of 100 yr and roasters pay 25 cents lb. Find a bird friendly farm.

The bird friendly certification developed by the smithsonian migratory bird center is considered a slightly more rigorous standard from a conservation perspective its rules related to canopy cover pesticide use and product purity are stricter. By choosing bird friendly certified coffee we support the growers who steward forest ecosystems. Only coffee certified by the smithsonian migratory bird center can be called bird friendy. With this pioneering program that focuses on small producers with organic certification and many who are fair trade certified as well bird friendly coffee supports fair and stable prices for coffee producers healthy environments for communities greater biodiversity and protection for bird habitats and equal access to markets for bird friendly coffee producers.

But both seals point consumers to coffee that maintains some habitat for birds.