While visiting the Starbucks Farmers Support Center at the Hacienda Alsacia Coffee Farm in Costa Rica, Senator Boxer was briefed by Carlos Maruo Rodriguez, the Director of Global Agronomy for Starbucks, about the development of new hybrids of coffee plants that are more disease resistant and require fewer chemical herbicides. 

Senator Boxer visited the Starbucks Farmers Support Center at the Hacienda Alsacia Coffee Farm in Costa Rica. Carlos Maruo Rodriguez, the Director of Global Agronomy for Starbucks, and Senator Boxer discussed the impacts of climate change and efforts to grow coffee in more environmentally sustainable ways.  

Senator Boxer visited Mar Viva, a marine protection NGO in Costa Rica that is working to develop Responsible Fishing Communities to help the local fisherman and to diminish the influence of drug traffickers. Senator Boxer discussed resource exploitation and the impacts of drug smuggling through poor and underdeveloped coastal fishing areas with Jorge Jimenez, Mar Viva’s Director General, and Robin Matthewman, Deputy Chief of Mission from the U.S. Embassy.