Bird Friendly® Coffee Certification
For your Bird Friendly® inspection and certification, growers should contact one of the following agencies. These companies are organic certification agencies that appear on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's accreditation list for the National Organic Program. This accreditation provides an important "first cut" for us in terms of providing quality control and verifiable audit trails. In addition, the inspectors working with these agencies have been trained by Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) staff in how to evaluate shade coffee systems. The companies listed have all signed agreements with the SMBC, and can arrange for an inspector to visit your farm or cooperative.
Since Bird Friendly® certification also requires organic certification, combining the inspections may save you money—all these companies also do organic certifications.
Certification Period Changed to 3 Years
The certification period applied to shade cover on Bird Friendly® farms has been increased to 3 years. Shade cover does not change that much from year to year, and growers can ill afford any added costs associated with unnecessary inspections and certifications. Therefore, effective 2007, shade certification for the Bird Friendly® coffee seal will be valid for 3 years.
The organic inspector who visits a BF farm or coop during years when the shade inspection is not scheduled will need to visually confirm that no changes in shade management have been made. Moreover, if a farm or cooperative wants to bring new areas into the BF program during this time, the normal inspection and certification process must be applied to these areas.
Any questions about these changes can be directed to Robert Rice at 202-633-4209 or
Email
Listing of Coffee Certifying Agencies:
General Gonzales 1317 Casilla 13030
La Paz, Bolivia
Contact: Grover Bustillos
(591)2-249-0747 bolicert@mail.megalink.com http://www.bolicert.org/
Calle Pasos Kanki No. 2134
Cochabamba, Bolivia
Contact: Roberto Moyano Aguirre
(+591) 4 4456880 Fax: (+591) 4 4456882
imola@imola.com.bo
Cle 140#16-59 - Of. 201
Bogota, Colombia
Contact: Xavier Cevallos
0057 1 274 43 40 Fax: 0057 1 614 92 00
http://www.ecocert.com/
Montelimar 300 Norte
San Jose, Costa Rica
Contact: Guillermo Saborio
(506)297-3164 Fax: (506)235-1638
ecologica@racsa.co.cr http://www.eco-logica.com/
Cimbernstrasse 21
Nurnberg, Germany
Contact: Peter Grosch
0911/42439-0 Fax: 0911/492239
info@bcs-oeko.de http://www.bcs-oeko.de/
Vorderhaslach Nr. 1
Happburg, Germany
Contact: Albrecht Benzing
49 (0) 9158 - 92 82 92 Fax: 49 (0) 9158 - 92 89 862
ceres@ceres-cert.com http://www.ceres-cert.com/index.html
6a. Street 3-22 Zone 10
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Contact: Noe Rivera
(502)2-361-8201 Fax: (502)2-3628726
info@mayacert.com http://www.mayacert.com/
Calle 16 de Septiembre, Número 204
Ejido Guadelupe Victoría, Oaxaca Mexico
Contact: Taurino Reyes Santiago
9515200617 certimex@certimexsc.com http://www.certimexsc.com
Av. Arenales #670
Lima, Peru
Contact: Roxana Priego Flores
0051-01-4232924 Fax: 0051-01-4247773
central@biolatina.com.pe http://www.biolatina.com/
Av. Dos de Mayo 1205, San Isidro
Lima, Peru
Contact: Fiorela Bustamente
51 1 7190400 Fax: 51 1 4217573
cert@cuperu.com
6400 Cornhusker Highway
Lincoln, NE United States
Contact: Brian Kozisek
(402)477-2323 Fax: (402)477-4325
info@ocia.org http://www.ocia.org/
9191 Town Center Drive Suite 5100
San Diego, CA United States
Contact: Kristen Holt
qai@qai-inc.com http://www.qai-inc.com/
PO Box 12311
Gainesville, FL United States
Contact: Marty Mesh
(352)377-0133 qcs@qcsinfo.org http://www.qcsinfo.org/
Norms for Production, Processing and Marketing of Bird Friendly® Coffee
