ABOUT FAIR TRADE, USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC & RAIN FOREST ALLIANCE No, we're not speaking some crazy language! All these terms are what make MorningStar a company with a conscience. Here are some helpful definitions to explain why we're for good coffee:
	FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED: Fair Trade is an innovative, market-based approach to sustainable development. Fair Trade helps family farmers in developing countries to gain direct access to international markets, as well as to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace. The Fair Trade Certified™ label helps ensure: A Fair Price - The Fair Trade Certified label guarantees that farmers and workers received a fair price for their product. The Fair Trade price means that farmers can feed their families and that their children can go to school instead of working in the fields. Quality Products - By receiving a fair price, Fair Trade producers can avoid cost-cutting practices that sacrifice quality. The Fair Trade producers' traditional artisanal farming methods result in exceptional products. Care for the Environment - Most Fair Trade Certified coffee, tea and chocolate in the US is certified organic and shade grown. This means that the products you buy maintain biodiversity, provide shelter for migratory birds and help reduce global warming.
	USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC: All our coffees are certified organic - that means they are produced by farmers who care about the environment. Using renewable resources and practicing conservation in soil and water, our growers adhere to the strict standards set by the National Organic Program, which dictates that crops must be produced without using nasty pesticides, synthetic ingredients, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation (which just sounds scary, anyway).
	RAINFOREST ALLIANCE: Rainforest Alliance Certified farms have reduced environmental footprints, are good neighbors to human and wild communities, and are often integral parts of regional conservation initiatives.