One of the world's leading advocates for sustainable agriculture has been in Skipton to praise chemicals-free farming.

Speaking to northern members of the beverage industry, Sabrina Vigilante, the New York-based marketing manager of the Rainforest Alliance, stressed that her organisation's sustainable coffee programme had not only improved quality but saved farmers money because of a "drastic" reduction in the use of chemicals.

Miss Vigilante told the Telegraph & Argus after her address to the Beverage Service Association that sustainable agriculture was important not just for wildlife conservation but also to improve the lives of workers and communities.

"Agriculture is a major employer," she said. "It uses more land and fresh water than any other human activity in the world and is the greatest cause of ecosystem and biodiversity destruction.

"Because of agriculture's influences on society and the environment, production practices that include various social and environmental guidelines covering better conditions for workers, habitat conservation, soil and water quality undoubtedly have a positive impact on the world's people and wildlife."

She said British bodies had demonstrated the importance of sound agricultural practices. "Well-respected organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds are increasingly promoting this concept. For instance, RSPB published an article in its magazine, read by millions of members, making the connection between sustainable responsible coffee and cocoa farming and healthy bird and wildlife populations."

Miss Vigilante said the BSA was a progressive group of businesses with high standards. She said it had been encouraging to address an audience genuinely concerned about sustainable development.

The BSA meeting was hosted by the organisation's national chairman, Rennick Hodgson, who said: "More than 25 million people in the tropics depend on coffee farming, a crop that is the economic backbone of many countries and the second most traded commodity after oil.

"A decade ago, the Rainforest Alliance and its partner groups demonstrated that traditional, forested coffee farms are havens for wildlife. Now, coffee lovers worldwide can support farmers who maintain these rainforest refuges by buying beans with the Rainforest Alliance certified seal of approval."

Mr Hodgson said that the eco-label also guaranteed that the coffee was grown on farms that met demanding social and environmental standards.

This ensured that forests were protected, rivers, soils and wildlife conserved, workers treated with respect, paid fairly, properly equipped and given access to education and medical care.

"We also want to make consumers more aware that by drinking certified coffees they are actually assisting the quest to achieve sustainable coffee practices," he added.