Coffee prices have hit astronomical lows, with farmers on average receiving less than a dollar per pound of coffee. In response, specialty roasters around the world have began publishing how much they pay for coffee. While many are paying higher than a dollar per pound, that number sort of doesn't mean anything if farmers aren't covering their basic costs—perhaps the $2.50 per pound your local roaster promises to pay their farmers only helps a farmer break even. We need to answer a fundamental question: "How much does it cost to produce a pound of coffee?" 

Caryn and Mike Nelson of Junior's Roasted Coffee in Portland, Oregon, decided to answer that question. Coming to you live from Nightshift Brewery in Everett, Mass., in partnership with the Boston Intersectional Coffee Collective (BICC), we present "The Cost of Production," a event series that looks at what it costs to produce coffee and what it means to pay farmers fairly. The speakers at this event present information and findings not seen anywhere else, so if you care about coffee pricing and farmer sustainability, this episode is a must-listen. 

Thank you to Caryn and Mike Nelson for putting this event series on, to Kristina Jackson and everyone at the BICC, to Rob Rodriguez and Rose Woodard over at Nightshift Brewery, and to all the amazing speakers at this event. I learned more about coffee than I have at any other event I've attended.