In recent years, there has been a growing interest among consumers to buy products that follow strict standards in their production process and that also are healthy and safe. In the case of coffee, people in the United States are not only interested in the quality and origin of coffee, but many are also concerned about the social, economic, and environmental aspects of coffee production. Coffee is taking the lead in developing standards to address these concerns. This 6-page fact sheet explains the certification process and describe the various certification programs and what they mean. Written by Gloria M. Lentijo and Mark Hostetler, and published by the UF Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, February 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw351