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Fair Trade Month was a Great Success!
Fair Trade News: Steaming Bean Coffee Co raised $290.50 as part of our fundraiser for Fair Trade month where we donated proceeds of every 12 oz bag of Fair Trade coffee sold (we sold 581 bags and donated $.50 per bag sold). Thank You for supporting us and Fair Trade Practices.
“We are incredibly appreciative of Steaming Bean’s generosity and commitment to Fair Trade. It was an honor for us to highlight you on our website and to be reminded that we are all part of a larger movement of retailers, distributors, NGO’s, and consumers who share a common desire to help improve quality of life for farmers worldwide. On behalf of Transfair USA, I would like to express our deep gratitude for your donation. “
-Sarah Christensen, TransFair USA
What Is Fair Trade Coffee?
The four basic guidelines for fair trade coffee are: 
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Coffee importers agree to purchase from the small farmers included in the
International Fair Trade Coffee Register.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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Sustainable economics is a key concept in current and future conservation work.
And fair trade coffee is built upon sustainable economics.
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Small farmers, though not able to afford "official certification", use organic
methods.
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Small farmers plant shade grown coffee on small pieces of property dispered
throughout a region.
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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. Steaming Bean has always bought
shade grown, sun dried coffees and is happy to bring you further 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".
Additionally, all the Fair Trade coffees we offer have full Organic
certification.
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