Meet the Coffee Farmers We Buy from in the Mut Vitz Cooperative Chiapas, Mexico Mut Vitz is a coffee farmer's cooperative based in Chiapas Mexico. It's primary responsibilities are the collection, marketing and exportation of coffee while providing other social, cultural and economic services to its members and their communities. The communities linked to Mut Vitz are located in the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, in 6 municipalities: El Bosque, Simojovel, Bochil, Jitotol, San Andres Larrainzar, and Chenalho. The number of producers associated to the cooperative at this point is approximately 1,000. However, as this group is still "in formation" that number continues to grow. Nevertheless, based upon a conservative "most likely" membership estimation, the potential for total production this year is calculated to exceed 15,000 quintales (100-pound bags) of high-altitude coffee. The cooperative Mut Vitz is primarily comprised of Mayan Tzotzil indigenous campesino farmers. The cooperative has been "self-organized" by its members. It is now legally recognized under Mexican law. Mut Vitz is a Fair Trade certified cooperative, monitored by the European based Fair-trade Labelling Organization. Mut Vitz sold its first container of Fair Trade coffee in 1999. A portion of the producers are organic certified while the others are currently in transition from "natural production" to "certified organic" production methods and are paying particular attention to all appropriate practices for sustainable, shade-grown coffee. Peace Coffee has bought the first organic certified coffee from Mut Vitz in 2002. Mut Vitz coordinates a network of some 48 organic promoters working in their 24 communities to consolidate their own participative process for the transfer of technology and practical know-how for the organic production of coffee. They have already made great strides towards fortifying their own organizational structures and local leadership. Because of the lack of government support for people living in this zone, producers have been searching for autonomous economic and social alternatives to support development in their communities. One critical aspect is the creation of economic models supportive of social and cultural advancement and the consolidation of the Indigenous communities as focal points for the promotion of democracy, self-management and sustainability, as well as covering the people's basic needs of food, health care and local infrastructure. Peace Coffee has visited with the producers of Mut Vitz for over two years and in 2002 we are adding this highland Mexican coffee as a permanent addition to our line-up. Peace Coffee is able to work closely with the members of Mut Vitz through our affiliation with Cooperative Coffees, an importing cooperative of U.S. and Canadian roasters. Check out the February 2004 issue of Fair Grounds to read about our recent visit to Mut Vitz.