Latest News

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  AHPA expresses deep gratitude to Loren Israelsen following retirement announcement

  June 30, 2026 Loren Israelsen accepts the AHPA Herbal Insight Award in 2017. Following the historic announcement that Loren Israelsen will retire and the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) will sunset at the end of the year, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) looks back with deep gratitude at Loren's decades of advocacy, industry leadership, and close collaboration with AHPA. Loren's vision has permanently shaped the modern dietary supplement landscape. As a primary architect of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, his early legislative strategy and tenacity established the vital legal framework that safeguards consumer access to natural health products today. His enduring dedication to health freedom was featured in AHPA's 2024 documentary, “DSHEA and the Defense of Health Freedom,” in which he reflected on the incredible industry commitment required to secure that historic milestone. Throughout his legendary career, Loren maintained a deep connection to AHPA, characterized by a close, collaborative relationship with late AHPA President Michael McGuffin. Together, they championed alignment across trade organizations and united the industry behind robust quality standards. In recognition of his exceptional contributions to the herbal community, AHPA previously honored Loren with the AHPA Herbal Insight Award in 2017. To celebrate his remarkable journey, AHPA invites the entire natural products community to “AHPA Talks: How We Got Here - The AHPA Origin Story” on July 14. For this very special virtual event, Loren will sit down with fellow founding AHPA board member and industry pioneer Mark Blumenthal to look back at the firsthand experiences, challenges, and defining moments from the early days that shaped the foundation of the herbal products industry we know today. "Loren is an irreplaceable pillar of our industry whose vision, kindness, and unmatched dedication have guided us through our most defining chapters," said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. "From trailblazing a path to Washington in the early days, to his close partnership with Michael McGuffin, Loren has always understood that our community is strongest when we work together. The natural products family owes an immense debt of gratitude to Loren and the UNPA team for their decades of service and transformative leadership." While the sunsetting of UNPA marks the conclusion of an era, the culture of quality and dedication to consumer access that Loren championed remain integral to the shared work of the entire natural products community. AHPA extends its warmest congratulations to Loren on his upcoming retirement and looks forward to carrying on that vital work alongside friends and colleagues across the industry in 2026 and beyond.

  • Tuesday, June 30, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  AHPA promotes Jane Wilson to Vice President of Association Programs

  June 4, 2026 The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is pleased to announce the promotion of Jane Wilson to Vice President of Association Programs. In this elevated role, Wilson leads the strategic development, implementation, and management of AHPA's diverse initiatives and services, while continuing to cultivate collaborative relationships across industry, trade associations, regulatory bodies, and public health organizations. “AHPA is thrilled to promote Jane Wilson to Vice President of Association Programs,” said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. “Jane's extensive expertise in standards development and public health, combined with her deep understanding of our members' needs, has made her an invaluable asset to the association. As AHPA continues to expand its programming offerings to meet the demands of a growing industry, we are confident that Jane's leadership will further strengthen the high-quality services and support we provide to our community.” Wilson joined AHPA in 2013, bringing over two decades of public health and environmental protection expertise to the association. She previously served as the Director of Standards for NSF International, where she oversaw the development and maintenance of foundational industry standards, including NSF/ANSI 173 (Dietary Supplements) and NSF/ANSI 305 (Personal Care Products Containing Organic Ingredients). Her extensive background also includes establishing the NSF National Center for Sustainability Standards and administering the U.S. Technical Advisory Group for ISO Technical Committee 249 (Traditional Chinese Medicine). “My time at AHPA has been filled with such a wide range of valuable experiences and memorable relationships, such as working with the legendary Michael McGuffin,” said Wilson. “I'm blessed to continue contributing to this dynamic herbal products community, as well as working with the AHPA Board of Trustees and my amazing AHPA colleagues.”

  • Thursday, June 4, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  CBP to appeal scope of IEEPA tariff relief, will challenge refunds for many finally liquidated entries

  June 2, 2026 The Trump administration has indicated its intention to appeal an order of the Court of International Trade (CIT) granting refunds for all imported goods previously subject to IEEPA tariffs. In a May 29 filing, the administration argued that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has no authority to reliquidate or refund tariffs paid on entries that were both 1) finally liquidated and 2) paid by parties that have not separately filed cases seeking relief. This reflects a new position regarding the CIT's injunction, which the administration now states exceeded the court's authority.   This action does not appear to change the scope of relief currently available via the CBP CAPE system, which does not cover finally liquidated product entries. Importers and brokers with declarations previously filed under this “Phase 1” relief procedure should be unaffected. Entries and tariffs affected by the anticipated appeal may impact only a small fraction of the 100-plus billion dollars of unlawfully collected tariffs.   AHPA will continue to monitor this and other ongoing proceedings regarding the administration's tariff policies; AHPA will also continue to provide current resources to members via the AHPA Tariff Toolkit. Questions should be directed to AHPA Vice President for Regulatory & Government Affairs Robert Marriott at rmarriott@ahpa.org. AHPA members should consult an attorney for legal advice on these developments' application to their individual circumstances.

  • Tuesday, June 2, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  AHPA President & CEO to keynote Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference

  May 21, 2026   The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is pleased to announce that AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby will be a keynote speaker at the 2026 Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference, October 23-25 in Blacksburg, VA. Hosted by the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition, the event brings together forest farmers, researchers, herbalists, and industry stakeholders for learning and networking with the community at the heartwood of forest farming in Appalachia and beyond. “I am honored to support the vital work of our longtime partners at the Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition,” said Rigby. “Forest farming is essential to the long-term sustainability of native botanicals, and I look forward to discussing how we can collaborate to support these growers and strengthen industry supply chains.” The Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition is currently welcoming participation and collaborative support for the 2026 program through the following opportunities: Call for Speakers & Topics: The event is accepting speaker and topic nominations to ensure a diverse, cutting-edge agenda. Industry experts and practitioners are encouraged to submit proposals. Sponsorship Opportunities: Businesses and organizations looking to support sustainable agroforestry and gain visibility among key industry leaders are invited to explore available sponsorship packages. Early bird registration for the conference is open now through July 15. AHPA encourages members and industry colleagues with interest to join us for this special event. For more information on registration, speaker submissions, or sponsorship opportunities, please visit the Gather to Grow Forest Farming Conference website.

  • Thursday, May 21, 2026
  • | Posted by AHPA