Understanding the Ethical Implications of Coffee Sourcing

If you started the season with me in October you’ll remember that I started exploring the topic of what we lose when we take a plant from its native environment. Episode #25: A California Coffee Farm & Native vs. Local Yeasts looked at the relationship between coffee trees and the fermentation.

Dr. Aimee Dudley’s research showed that the native microbes do not travel with the plant material and therefore all coffee fermentations outside of Ethiopia are non-native fermentations.

Episode #26: Do Coffee Trees Talk? How Underground Fungi Affect Coffee Quality showed that when we take a plant from it’s native environment the microbes it needs to have strong immune response are also left behind.

So we’ve touched on the above and below ground microbes that we leave behind.
But is it only about microbes?
Are microbes the most important thing we leave behind?
I argue that it is not. As important as I think they are, I think there is something more valuable that is lost.

Today, in part 3 I want to talk about another aspect we miss out on when we take something from its native environment.

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Cover Art by: Nick Hafner
Into song: Elijah Bisbee

Mentioned in the Episode:

Podcast: How Not To Travel Like A Basic Bitch

Dr. Aimee Dudley's Research Lab

Maca Pirate Video

The Nagoya Protocol