Specialty Coffee Industry Looks at Sustainability Issues, May 2 - 5

The Specialty Coffee Association of America's Annual Conference &
Exhibition Explores Key Sustainability Topics
LONG BEACH, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), the world's
largest coffee trade association, is taking an in-depth look at
sustainability topics in the specialty coffee industry. At its
upcoming 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition, May 2 - 5 in
Minneapolis, Minn., the association and a high-profile panel of coffee
industry experts will present on key issues, such as the business
challenges of greening a business; the effect of global warming on
coffee growing in Central America; how a coffee business can become
more carbon neutral; sustainable trade; and the impact of
certifications on the farmer and the environment.

"As the specialty coffee industry's premier association, our
mission is to educate members and the industry at large on best
practices in the coffee sector while assisting farmers in implementing
sustainable business practices and increasing yields in an
environmentally sensitive manner," said Ric Rhinehart, SCAA executive
director.

The Sustainability Track at SCAA's conference and exhibition
features a wide-range of educational topics, such as:

-- Greening Your Business: Roasters and Retailers

-- Certification Highlights and Successes at Origin

-- Millennium Development Goals: Overview and Implementation

-- Global Warming: The Impact of Global Coffee

-- Taking Your Business to the Next Step in Sustainability:
Become Carbon Neutral

-- Roots and Relationships: Case Studies in Pros & Cons of Direct
Relationship Models

-- The Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade: Building
Businesses and Livelihoods

-- Specialty Coffee, Water and Small Holder Prosperity

-- Grower Perspective: California Sustainable Wine Growing
Experience

-- Gender, Equality and Sustainability: The Role Women Play In
the Future of the Coffee Industry

-- Processor Perspective - The California Sustainable Winegrowing
Experience

Presenters in SCAA's Sustainability Track represent many
well-known coffee organizations and others that are working to promote
sustainability in the industry, including Anacafe, Batdorf & Bronson
Coffee Roasters, CABI Commodities, Cafe Imports, California
Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance, CATIE, Coffee Quality Institute,
Dean's Beans, Finca Selva Negra, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters,
Grounds for Health, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea; International
Institute for Sustainable Development, International Institute for
Sustainable Development, Sustainable Markets and Responsible Trade,
International, Women's Coffee Alliance, Peace Coffee, Rabobank;
Rainforest Alliance, Root Capital, Signature Coffee, Smithsonian
Migratory Bird Center, SOPPEXCA (Union of Agricultural Cooperatives),
Sustainable Harvest at Origin, Taylor Maid Farms, Thanksgiving Coffee
Company, TransFair USA, Trees for the Future, Utz Certified North
America and ViewCraft.

The Sustainability Track is just one of the many educational
highlights at SCAA's 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition. As the
industry's premier coffee event, the conference features in-depth
educational sessions covering a variety of specialty coffee topics,
hundreds of exhibit booths, a keynote presentation from Michael
Shuman, author of "The Small-Mart Revolution," the United States
Barista Championship and the Coffee of the Year Competition.

In accord with SCAA's mission of promoting sustainability in the
specialty coffee industry, the association has created a carbon
neutrality program to help offset emissions related to conference
travel, lodging and energy consumption. All conference attendees are
required to participate in the program. The funds collected will be
donated to non-profit organization, Trees for the Future for the
purchasing and planting of new trees.

Complete details for SCAA's 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition
are available at http://conference.scaa.org/. For a copy of the
conference brochure, call 562-624-4100 or e-mail coffee@scaa.org.

About the SCAA

Celebrating 26 years of success, SCAA is the world's largest
coffee trade association. SCAA members are located in more than 40
countries and represent every segment of the specialty coffee
industry, from coffee growers to coffee roasters and retailers. The
SCAA's mission is to be the recognized authority on specialty coffee,
providing a common forum for the development and promotion of coffee
excellence and sustainability.

The SCAA's dedication to excellence in coffee is realized through
the setting of quality standards for the industry; conducting research
on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education,
training, resources and business services for members. The SCAA's
annual conference is held in a different U.S. city each year and is
the coffee industry's largest gathering and exhibition.

Note to Editor: Interviews with Sustainability Track session
instructors before, during and after SCAA's 2008 Conference &
Exhibition are available upon request. Press registration is online
at: http://conference.scaa.org/.

Specialty Coffee Association of America
Rick Havacko, 562-624-4100
rhavacko@scaa.org

Copyright Business Wire 2008