Supporting Biodiversity: A Key to Quality Coffee

The vital role of biodiversity in our coffee's journey

May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity — and a chance to reflect on the vital role biodiversity plays in everything we do, including the coffee we drink. One of our long-term coffee suppliers, Byron Corrales (pictured above), has been practicing biodynamic farming on his family’s coffee farm in Nicaragua for over 25 years, creating an ecosystem where coffee plants thrive and every element — from the soil microbes to the birds in the canopy — plays a part in keeping the environment in balance.

Biodynamic farming sees the farm as a living, interconnected system, where soil, plants, animals, people, and even the spirit of the land all work together. It’s a stark contrast to industrial agriculture, which often prioritizes yield over health, relying on chemical inputs and clearing natural habitats. On Byron’s farm, everything has a role: cows help fertilize the soil, bees pollinate the coffee trees, and native plants provide habitat for birds and insects. By working with nature instead of against it, his farm is able to cultivate healthier soil and a more resilient ecosystem.

This matters because biodiversity is the foundation of a balanced, regenerative ecosystem, especially as farmers face the growing impact of climate change, pests, and disease. When farmers choose biodynamic farming methods over industrial farming, they are keeping the land alive and help protect natural resources — which makes your morning brew not just better, but a lot more connected to the land it came from.