Learning from the Source: Reflections from my First Coffee Expo
This blog was written by Grow Ahead’s Program Manager, Taryn Lemmon, following her experience at the Specialty Coffee Association Conference and Expo.
WOW I'm still reeling from my first-ever trade show! The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Conference & Expo was a totally new experience for me, and I walked away with a lot of insights and inspiration. As both Program Manager for Grow Ahead and part-time weekend barista, it was the perfect balance of social impact and coffee, two major passions of my heart. From innovative approaches to sustainability to meaningful conversations around farmer well-being and climate justice, there is much to reflect on.
Grow Ahead works with small-scale farmers of all types, so why was it important for us to be present at a coffee trade show? Well, before Grow Ahead focused on agroforestry projects as a whole, we originally launched as an initiative geared towards pre-financing fair trade coffee harvests. This means Grow Ahead helped provide funding for small-scale coffee farmers before their harvest began, allowing farmers to invest in healthy crops without relying on predatory lenders. Grow Ahead has gone through many changes since our founding 12 years ago, but throughout this evolution, our overarching goal has been clear, to increase the climate and economic resilience of small-scale farmers.
Grow Ahead has funded various coffee projects over the years. In 2024, Grow Ahead, with the support of our donors and business partners, funded the project, “Farmer-Led Agroforestry in Mexico’s Coffee Lands,” which aimed to plant 75,000 trees to mitigate the devastating effects of coffee rust fungus. During Earth Month this year, we launched “Enhancing Climate Resilience on Coffee Farms” in partnership with COMSA, to plant 160,000 trees and increase training opportunities for local small-scale farmers. That being said, Grow Ahead still has a vested interest in the lives of coffee farmers despite no longer focusing specifically on this singular cash crop, making the SCA Conference and Expo an important event for Grow Ahead to attend.
Now, onto the show. Walking into the convention center that first day was an explosion of people, live music, and coffee. The energy was high, the coffee was flowing, and I felt excited to be amongst my peers (especially as a work-from-home employee). One of the very first things I did at the SCA Expo, and easily the most meaningful, was connect with producers and workers from COMSA (Café Orgánico Marcala), the farmer-led cooperative leading our newest agroforestry project! We sat outside in the not yet blazing Houston heat and dove into a conversation about our new partnership. It was incredibly grounding to hear directly from producers about their current needs and strategies for building lasting change, and how Grow Ahead can best support their efforts.
Throughout the rest of the weekend, I attended various lectures focused on how the coffee industry can best support farmer resilience and livelihoods, build sustainable supply chains, and increase the impact for arguably the most important people in their business model. Here are my takeaways:
- "Our work supporting small-scale farmers isn’t done as a favor, it’s part of the work we should all be doing." -Marcela Pino, Food 4 Farmers
- Small-scale farmers are not the cause of the global climate crisis, though they are the most impacted. Hundreds of years of inequity, extractive industry practices, and government obstruction has forced small farmers into positions of vulnerability. So much has happened and is still happening that is beyond farmers’ control.
- When it comes to bringing awareness to these issues, transparency and honesty are essential even when conversations become difficult.
- "Look around--the earth and stewards of the land give to us all the time. It’s time we give back." -Joshua Dautoff, Ofrenda A’bunna
- The coffee industry as a whole pays farmers 30–50% less than they need to fulfill their basic needs. Businesses need to make changes now to mitigate human suffering and help farmers cultivate long-term resilience.
- Around 20 million coffee farming community members experience poverty. Market prices are volatile, so even when prices are high, it doesn’t always mean better livelihoods for farmers. What matters most is how the industry acts when prices are low.
- Women farmers and entrepreneurs make jobs, increase household income, and invest back into their communities and households much more than men do. Investing in women is one of the most effective ways to build long-term community-led development.
- Women and younger generations of farmers need access to training and skills that are sustainable. This relates back to the old “teach a man to fish” proverb.
- "If you’re not learning from farmers, then you’re not paying attention." -Melissa Wilson Becerril, Cooperative Coffees
- The northern definition of poverty is merely monetary. With so much focus on economic discrepencies, social and cultural issues are often forgotten about.
- We need to continue learning from and listening to farmers even when it’s uncomfortable and complex. They know what they need better than we ever could.
- When you invest in local leaders, they can do a lot with a little.
- Coffee farmers are part of the business model and should be in the rooms where decisions are taking place. The coffee industry’s best intentions can exacerbate problems when farmers are not empowered with decision making.
Beyond my meeting with COMSA and the inspiring lectures, I strolled the expo floor and tabled with our friends at Cooperative Coffees, meeting roasters, cafe owners, salespeople, and people like me, committed to uplifting farmer voices and centering equity throughout the coffee value chain. Not everyone was excited to hear what I had to say, which is just a reminder that there is so much work to be done, so much more awareness to build. There is endless potential to do good in this space, and I hope we continue working toward an industry that reflects the values of equity and care.
From sipping black coffee from around the world, to meeting Grow Ahead business partners in person for the first time, to sampling interesting new coffee concoctions, it’s safe to say that I headed home from my weekend in Houston fulfilled…and over caffeinated. As I sit back in my work-from-home office, COMSA coffee in hand, I’m proud to continue my work with Grow Ahead. We’ll keep working alongside ALL small-scale farmers as they lead the way to a more resilient future for all of us. Will you join us?
