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OFF THE WIRE Continued from page 18 accessible and presented without attitude or pretense," he says. "I think 'Colectivo' connects us back to our coffee farmers and the people that labor in the origin countries that we work with. These are very hard-working and honest people, and we celebrate that kind of work every day." —Chris Ryan AGRONOMIST TAKES OVER AS COLOMBIAN COFFEE'S OTHER SPOKESPERSON The Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (the FNC, by its Spanish acronym) has named agronomist Daniel Chica to be the next Professor Yarumo, a celebrated agricultural figure amongst the country's more than half a million growers. The first figure most people likely associate with Colombian coffee is Juan Valdez, the fictional grower who has represented the region's producers for more than half a century. But in rural Colombia, coffee farmers identify with the federation's other "coffee wizard," the genial Professor Yarumo. Created in 1985 and named after a tree commonly found in Colombia's coffee-growing regions, the character Professor Yarumo works as an advocate and media representative for the FNC's internationally recognized "extension service," a comprehensive program composed of 1,500 technical advisors working to improve the lives of Colombia's growers through environmental, social and economic initiatives. Chica is the third Professor Yarumo since the program's inception, and his appointment follows the promotion of Carlos Uribe, who after serving as the professor for 17 years is moving up to chief technical officer at the FNC. The FNC's communications and marketing director, Luis Fernando Samper, says Chica's 10 years in the extension service make him a good fit for the role. "He has the energy and the passion needed to represent the extension service, a unique ability to connect with producers and gain their trust," says Samper. Appearing approachable to growers is among Yarumo's most distinguishing traits—while Juan Valdez dons traditional Colombian apparel to symbolize growers themselves, Professor Yarumo wears the yellow shirt of all extension advisors, or extentionistas. Yarumo is an "agronomist, a counselor, a technician, a friend," says Samper. And according to Miguel Gomez—a Cornell University professor who recently took part in an MEAS (Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services) evaluation of the FNC's programs—Yarumo's relatability is key. "The professor is a very important character for many agricultural producers in Colombia," says Gomez. "He has credibility among coffee growers. He's one of them." For many, Professor Yarumo is familiar as the host of the popular daily TV series "Las Aventuras del Profesor Yarumo," which airs stories and interviews aimed at educating farming communities on the FNC's work. Gomez says the program is "funny and didactic ... with a tremendous power to teach." The professor also COFFEE AND DEATH: In July, The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry published a study reporting that drinking several cups of coffee each day appeared to reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about half. 20 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com