What if their alernate crop is just as poor of quality as the coffee they grow now?
Instead, I propose, they do their best to find a crop that they can get the best possible quality from.  If it's coffee that they stay with, becuase it meets that criteria, then they darn-well better start growing better stuff.
hoowah
Chris
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From: 	Tom & Maria[SMTP:sweetmarias]
Sent: 	Friday, May 05, 2000 2:38 PM
To: 	homeroast
Subject: 	RE: + Expensive coffees
Actually, you know what I think the biggest threat to quality coffee is
right now? Too much production of cheap coffees posing as Specialty
coffees. Big farms can produce at lower cost than true small farm growers.
They bring down the price overall. And even among small farms, there are
some people who are best served by GETTING OUT OF THE COFFEE BUSINESS!
Their land is not prime, it will never produce great coffee. They should
grow corn! While I beleivbe in Fair Trade etc, not all farmers should have
access to this to guatanty the make money for producing mediocre coffee.
They need to be told that their coffee is not good, and to change to a
different crop. THAT would serve their best interest in the long run. Yes,
farmers need better prices for thei coffee, but charity might cut both
ways...
Tom
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