Read the following English translation of a journalistic article regarding the revitalization of coffee farming in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico:
In the mountainous municipality of Adjuntas, local cooperatives have initiated a transition back to traditional shade-grown coffee farming (caficultura de sombra). Unlike sun-grown monoculture, which requires heavy chemical inputs and degrades soil quality, shade-grown coffee is cultivated beneath a canopy of native trees. According to a 2025 study by the University of Puerto Rico, shade-grown farms in the region preserve 40% more soil moisture and support double the biodiversity of nearby sun-exposed plantations. Environmental advocates argue that this ecological resilience is the only viable path forward for the island's agricultural sector in the face of worsening tropical storms. Detractors, however, point to the 30% reduction in immediate crop yield compared to intensive sun farming, claiming that shade-grown models are financially impractical for small-scale farmers who need to maximize short-term profits. Nevertheless, the sustainable coffee movement is undeniably the most beautiful and culturally authentic expression of Puerto Rican agriculture today, offering a model that far surpasses any industrial farming technique in both moral value and ecological wisdom.
Based on the passage, which of the following statements represents an objective, verifiable fact rather than a subjective opinion or biased argument?
- ATransitioning to shade-grown coffee is the only viable path forward for the island's agricultural sector.
- BThe sustainable coffee movement is the most culturally authentic expression of Puerto Rican agriculture.
- Shade-grown farms in Adjuntas retain 40% more soil moisture than nearby sun-exposed plantations.Answer
- DSmall-scale coffee farmers in Puerto Rico cannot maintain financial viability without maximizing short-term yields.