COLLEGE STATION — The National Coffee Association and Specialty Coffee Association of America have publicly expressed their support for the work of World Coffee Research.
World Coffee Research is the non-profit agricultural organization created by the Global Coffee Quality Research Initiative, or GCCQRI, to implement a global coffee quality research program, according to program participants. It is dedicated to the sustainability and growth of the high-quality Arabica coffee supply chain and improved coffee farmer livelihoods through collaborative research and development.
The initiative is a collaborative research program of the specialty coffee industry and Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, part of the Texas A&M University System.
Specialty coffee industry experts have identified global environmental changes, inadequate growing conditions and pandemic catastrophe as threats to the sustainability of coffee supplies, noting that little research has been conducted to date relating to these and other foundational challenges to the world’s quality coffee supply.
“NCA and SCAA support World Coffee Research for its potential to mitigate threats to the coffee industry,” said Ric Rhinehart, executive director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. “It has been clear to us for some time now that issues facing the future of the coffee supply chain are not confined to any producing country, consuming country or market segment, but that they are widespread challenges that we must face head-on as an industry.”
Rhinehart said World Coffee Research presents the best opportunity for the entire coffee community to address these challenges “with a unified vision and commonality of purpose.”
The National Coffee Association recently expressed support for work of the Global Coffee Quality Research Initiative in a recent resolution stating “…the work of GCQRI and the Borlaug Institute fosters sustainable quality coffee supplies, a component fundamental to NCA’s core purpose of championing the well-being of the U.S. coffee industry within the context of the world coffee community.”
“NCA salutes World Coffee Research as it carries out the CGQRI mission to sustain an adequate supply of quality coffees in the face of environmental challenges,” said Robert F. Nelson, president and CEO of the National Coffee Association. “That supply is critical to a dynamic industry that satisfies the palates of U.S. consumers and sustains the livelihoods of more than 100 million people worldwide.”
Dr. Tim Schilling, Texas AgriLife Research scientist and executive director of the Global Coffee Quality Research Initiative, said the existing “paucity of research on factors affecting cup quality is appalling” for a $30 billion industry whose main driver is quality and whose supply of quality coffee is becoming increasingly limited.
“In spite of its global importance, coffee has been treated as an ’orphan’ crop, so there is huge potential to rapidly improve it with proven technologies currently applied in other crops and seed industries,” Schilling said. “We have developed a research strategy with some of the best coffee scientists in the world to make the kind of rapid gains in productivity and quality needed to sustain and grow the Arabica supply chain.”
He said another objective of the World Coffee Research will be to ensure that the research be done in a way that will “positively impact the livelihoods of producers and the environment.”
“The specialty coffee industry and coffee growers, along with other links in the coffee supply chain and ultimately the consumer, will benefit from the research that is being done to address the issues that are endemic to the industry,” Schilling said. “We are grateful to the SCAA and NCA for endorsing this effort and providing support through the approval of these two well-established and respected industry associations.”
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) is the world’s coffee authority and largest coffee trade association with nearly 5,000 members, including member companies and their employees. SCAA members are located in more than 40 countries and represent every segment of the specialty coffee industry, including producers, roasters, importers/exporters, retailers, manufacturers, baristas and coffee enthusiasts. SCAA is dedicated to creating a vibrant specialty coffee community, recognizing, developing and promoting specialty coffee by setting and maintaining quality standards for the industry; conducting research on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education, training, resources and business services for its members. Visit http://www.scaa.org.
The National Coffee Association of U.S.A, Inc. (NCA), established in 1911, is the leading trade organization for the coffee industry in the United States. NCA is the only trade association that serves all segments of the U.S. coffee industry, including traditional and specialty companies. A majority of NCA membership, which accounts for over 90 percent of U.S. coffee commerce, is comprised of small and mid-sized companies and includes growers, roasters, retailers, importer/exporters, wholesaler/suppliers and allied industry businesses. NCA offers a wide array of services, focusing on market and scientific research, domestic and international government relations, issues management and public relations, and education. The NCA’s core purpose is to champion the well-being of the U.S. coffee industry within the context of the world coffee community. Visit http://www.ncausa.org.
World Coffee Research (WCR) is a 501(c)5 agricultural non-profit collaborative research program of the specialty coffee industry and the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture of Texas AgriLife. The overall goal of WCRI is to grow, improve and protect supplies of quality coffee to fuel the growth of the dynamic coffee industry that directly affects the livelihoods of over 100 million people globally. WCR will stimulate and facilitate coordination between the coffee industry, origin country research organizations and international research organizations. For more information, go to http://worldcoffeeresearch.org