AHPA in the News

AHPA published guidance, “Compliance with the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act for Marketers of Chinese Herbal Products,” to provide members with a summary of Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) and identify ingredients and preparations found in traditional Chinese herbal ingredients and formulas that may require labeling as major food allergens.

U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) announced almost $600,000 in federal funding for a Virginia Tech project to expand the impact of the Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition (ABFFC) by increasing membership and improving opportunities and capabilities among forest farmers.

AHPA has posted this free guidance to help tea and infusion product companies understand, navigate and mitigate liabilities related to California's Proposition 65 (the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986). Since July 2016, numerous companies that sell or manufacture tea and infusion products, primarily marketers of branded finished products, have been the subject of complaints alleging violation of California's Prop 65 for failure to provide the required warnings.

Nominations are now being accepted for the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) 2020 Awards. The awards will be presented at the Annual AHPA Member Meeting and Breakfast on March 4, 2020 at the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim, CA.

AHPA President Michael McGuffin discussed opportunities and challenges for companies marketing hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) in products labeled as dietary supplements at the 26th Annual Hemp Industries Association Conference (HIACON) held in Charlotte, NC this week.

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has assessed an article issued today by Consumer Reports (CR) on its analytical review of 16 echinacea and 13 turmeric products. AHPA has found that CR relied on arbitrary or internal standards for its analysis, apparently in order to support its preconceived view of herbal supplements, expressed by repeating in today’s article the false myth of ‘lack of regulation’ of dietary supplements.

FDA announced today that, during the first six months following the general January 1, 2020, compliance date for the new nutrition labeling regulations for conventional foods and dietary supplements, it plans to work cooperatively with manufacturers to meet the new requirements and will not focus on enforcement actions during that time. Note that manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales already had an extra year to comply – until January 1, 2021.

Recorded October 29, 2019, this webinar offers expert insights into the nutrition labeling requirements for foods and dietary supplements are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2020 for manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales and January 1, 2021 for smaller manufacturers.