Scott Keller

3 Reasons Why All of Our Coffee Isn't Certified as Bird Friendly

For coffee farms that want to show their dedication to growing environmentally sustainable coffee, there is nothing better than the Smithsonian Bird Friendly certification. It ensures the coffee is grown under shade that preserves habitat for birds and other wildlife. It guarantees organic practices and biodiversity protection, supporting healthy ecosystems and farmers committed to conservation.


The mission of Beautiful Beast Coffee Company is to serve incredible coffee that comes from farms that support wildlife conservation, so offering coffee with the Bird Friendly  (BF) certification is a perfect fit. As you shop on our site, you will find a variety of different coffees that proudly display the BF logo (as of this writing, we have THREE options).

But, every so often, I get an email that says something like this:

"I want to stick with buying coffee from companies that ONLY sell bird friendly certified coffee. It is the only way I feel I am not harming the birds by drinking coffee. Is there a reason you have chosen to offer coffee that doesn't have the Smithsonian certification?"

Honestly, it's a fantastic question. I'm really happy when someone asks because it allows me the chance to explain the answer. 

Because, as much as I'm a supporter of the Bird Friendly certification, it is not the only way to support farms that support conservation. As great as it is, there are multiple challenges to ONLY offering only Bird Friendly coffee.

Here are three reasons why we choose to offer coffee from farms that are not BF certified:

#1. It's hard for certain regions to meet the strict growing requirements.

 

The first challenge to getting the BF certification is that your farm has to meet ALL of the following requirements. If you miss one of them, you don't qualify. Here is an abbreviated list:

  • Shade cover of at least 40%.
  • Canopy height has to be over 12 feet (4m) high.
  • Structural diversity of trees, including three different layers of tree cover (emergency, canopy, understory, etc)

  • Floristic diversity of trees and wood shrubs, including over 10 different types of trees present on the property.

These growing requirements can be VERY hard or impossible for coffee farms in certain growing regions to meet. 

If you don't believe me, take a look at this map provided by the Smithsonian. It shows where all of the Bird Friendly certified farms are located. If you click the map, it will take you to an interactive version.


Do you notice that more than 90% of Bird Friendly farms are located in Central America and the northern part of South America? That's not by accident.

The strict growing standards set forth by the Smithsonian are easier to meet in the natural jungle environments of Central and South America than in other parts of the world.

For example, let's look at Africa. A lot of coffee is grown in Africa, but there are almost no coffees from Africa that have the Bird Friendly certification, except for a few in Ethiopia. There are various reasons for this, but a big one is the strict canopy requirements that the native trees and brush habitats don't meet. 

Currently, we offer a fantastic coffee from Tanzania that is not certified as Bird Friendly.

However, it comes from an incredible coffee farm, Burka Coffee Estates, which grows its coffee in harmony with nature using eco-friendly options. Seriously, check them out, and you will learn that plenty of animals, including jackals and aardvarks, roam around their property. 

If we decided to ONLY offer Bird Friendly coffee, we would miss out on this amazing coffee from Tanzania, which not only tastes great and offers a unique flavor but also supports our mission of wildlife conservation. 

#2. Some farmers don't want to pay for the certification.

 

For farms that think they qualify for the strict standards set forth by the Smithsonian, they can apply for certification to a qualified agency. After receiving the application, the agency will send out an inspector who has been trained by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center on how to evaluate their standards.

Of course, there are significant costs the coffee farm has to pay to the certification agency, including application fees, inspection fees, and certification fees, along with transportation and travel costs to the inspector that visits.

The exact amount varies between the size and complexity of each farm, but it usually runs between several hundred to several thousand dollars. 

Not to mention that to get the BF certification, your coffee farm has to be certified by the USDA as organic. This certification is no joke. The USDA has its own set of requirements that need to be met. There are also fees for the inspection and application that need to be paid, in addition to ongoing compliance costs.

There are many farms out there that meet the environmental standards but don't want to pay to get these certifications, either because they can't afford it or don't think it's worth the cost.

#3. Some coffee farms don't renew their Bird Friendly certification.

 

Not every farm that gets certified thinks that it's worth the additional cost and compliance bureaucracy to continue. 

For example, we used to offer a Bird Friendly certified coffee from Peru. Unfortunately, the farmer's co-op that produces these beans decided NOT to renew their Bird Friendly certification this year.
Due to their decision and other reasons (lower sales), we decided to discontinue offering this coffee. Unfortunately, I had to throw away the several hundred labels I still had for them that displayed the Bird Friendly logo. :) 

The Peru farmers from this co-op are producing and growing their coffee the same way as before, but they didn't see the value in the certification. If we kept selling the Peru coffee, it still supports birds, wildlife, and the farmers, regardless of whether it had the BF certification or not.

Farms that are Bird Friendly certified have to pay inspectors every year to renew their certification. If they don't think they are selling more coffee because of it or don't want to deal with continual compliance, they can decide not to keep it.

Final Thoughts

 

While Bird Friendly certification offers undeniable benefits for conservation and sustainability, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. The financial, logistical, and environmental challenges can make it impractical for some farmers. However, for those who can meet the requirements, the certification provides a unique selling point.

Understanding these challenges allows us to make informed choices and support ethical farming practices in ways that make the most impact. Whether certified or not, seeking out coffee from farms committed to sustainability is always a step in the right direction!

But, with that being said, we are continually trying to add more BF coffee. If you want to try all of our options, then check out our Bird Friendly bundle. Save 10%, and get FREE SHIPPING.