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  Tariffs on Imported Herbs Threaten U.S. Wellness Industry & Consumer Access

  June 30, 2025 Graham Rigby, AHPA President & CEO, for SupplySide Supplement Journal More Americans than ever are turning to herbs to support their health — whether it's turmeric for joint comfort, ashwagandha for stress relief, or cinnamon for metabolic support — but volatile trade policies are putting access to these everyday essentials at risk.   Many of the most popular herbal ingredients used in dietary supplements, conventional foods and personal care products aren't grown in the United States. Moreover, they can't be — our climate simply doesn't allow it. Yet they're still subject to tariffs that drive up prices, disrupt supply chains and unfairly penalize American businesses.   That's why the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is urging policymakers to exempt these critical imports from current and proposed tariffs before consumers and the industry pay the price.  

  • Monday, June 30, 2025
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  AHPA publishes second herbal advocacy leave-behind, urges support for specialized manufacturing equipment

  June 26, 2025 Building on its ongoing advocacy for the herbal industry, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has published a second Congressional leave-behind – this time focused on securing targeted tariff relief for critical manufacturing equipment unavailable from U.S. sources.   In many cases, specialized equipment needed to harvest, extract, encapsulate, and package herbs grown and used in dietary supplements and natural products in the United States must be imported, as the machinery is not commercially manufactured domestically. Excessive tariffs on this essential equipment are now threatening to slow investment in U.S.-based production facilities, delay innovation, and even encourage offshoring – directly undermining national efforts to expand American manufacturing.   “American herbal product companies are ready and eager to expand domestic manufacturing, but burdensome tariffs on the specialized tools they need are standing in the way,” said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. “These are not loopholes. We're asking for common-sense tariff relief that allows U.S. companies to build here, hire here, and compete globally.”   AHPA continues to actively engage with policymakers in Washington, D.C., to raise awareness of how current trade policies impact the domestic production capacity of the herbal and natural products sector. The new leave-behind is intended to support these efforts by equipping Congressional offices with a clear explanation of why narrowly tailored tariff relief is critical to strengthening American industry. AHPA invites members and industry stakeholders to utilize the leave-behind in their own advocacy efforts as well.   This latest resource builds on AHPA's broader tariff advocacy, including its first herbal advocacy leave-behind focused on protecting access to essential herbs that cannot be grown domestically at the commercial scale necessary to meet consumer and industry demand. Both documents are part of AHPA's Tariff Toolkit, a collection of resources designed to help herbal and dietary supplement companies stay informed and compliant as they navigate the evolving landscape of international trade and tariffs.

  • Thursday, June 26, 2025
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  Bipartisan Lawmakers Relaunch Caucus to Advance Supplement Education and Oversight

  June 24, 2025 Four leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement industry—the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), and United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA)—today announced their collective support for the re-establishment of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus in the 119th Congress.   The caucus is being re-launched under the leadership of Rep. Mike Kennedy, M.D. (R-UT-3) and Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), who will serve as co-chairs. As a formally registered Congressional Member Organization (CMO), the caucus provides a platform for lawmakers to engage on the science, regulation, and public health role of dietary supplements.   The Dietary Supplement Caucus serves as a nonpartisan forum for Members of Congress and their staff to hear from scientific experts, healthcare practitioners, and industry stakeholders. Educational briefings where the caucus serves as honorary co-host will provide up-to-date information on issues affecting the supplement sector, helping inform balanced policymaking.   In their filing to the House Committee on Administration—the required step for formal registration of any caucus each new Congress—Reps. Kennedy and Veasey affirmed the group's mission to “discuss…the benefits of dietary supplements, provide tips and insights for better health and wellness, and to promote research into the healthcare savings these products provide.” They further stated the caucus seeks to enhance Congressional attention to the role supplements can play in disease prevention and address unfair regulatory burdens.   Key policy areas likely to be addressed by the caucus in the 119th Congress include: Modernizing the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) Expanding eligibility of dietary supplements under Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) Supporting increased FDA resources for oversight and enforcement   “Utah has played a major role in the dietary supplement industry, and that leadership deserves to be represented in Congress,” said Rep. Kennedy. “This caucus is a way to support thoughtful discussion around health while ensuring people have the freedom and information they need to make choices that work for them—without being burdened by unnecessary regulatory hurdles."   Rep. Marc Veasey added, “The Dietary Supplement Caucus provides a unique opportunity for bipartisan cooperation on issues that matter to millions of Americans. From public education to regulatory transparency, this forum will help Congress engage more meaningfully with an industry that touches households across the country.”  About the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Founded in 1982, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is the national trade association and voice of the herbal products industry. AHPA is comprised of more than 350 member companies, consisting primarily of domestic and foreign companies doing business as growers, processors, manufacturers and marketers of herbs and herbal products as foods, dietary supplements, cosmetics, and non-prescription drugs, and also including companies that provide expert services to the herbal trade. Learn more at ahpa.org.   About the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)  The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 180+ dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers. In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements and food in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN's Code of Ethics. Follow us on Twitter @CRN_Supplements and LinkedIn.   About the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), founded in 1881, is the national trade association representing the leading manufacturers and marketers of consumer healthcare products, including over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, dietary supplements, and OTC medical devices. CHPA is committed to empowering self-care by ensuring that Americans have access to products they can count on to be reliable, affordable, and convenient, while also delivering new and better ways to get and stay healthy. Visit www.chpa.org.   About the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) The United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) is a premier trade association dedicated to advancing global natural health products. With a commitment to quality, science, and innovation, UNPA collaborates with industry leaders, government agencies, and stakeholders to promote responsible business practices and advocate for standards that ensure consumer safety, access to reliable health information and trained health practitioners. Through education, research, and advocacy, UNPA along with its members and partners foster industry excellence and leadership that drive growth and integrity in the natural health products community. UNPA serves as a unifying voice, to honor the dietary supplement industry's history, advance the science and protect the health freedom of our consumers. For more information, visit www.unpa.com.

  • Tuesday, June 24, 2025
  • | Posted by AHPA
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  AHPA updates nine entries to the online Botanical Safety Handbook 2nd Ed.

  June 23, 2025 New updates include the top-sellers ginkgo, echinacea, ginseng, and ginger   The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) announces updates to nine botanicals via the online Botanical Safety Handbook 2nd ed. in the first 2025 release of revised entries.   The following online entries have been updated in this release:   Anethum graveolens (dill) - A recent review added clinical trial adverse event reporting, as well as pharmacology and toxicity studies. Information on use during pregnancy and lactation was added. Apium graveolens (celery) - A literature review identified additional pharmacology and toxicity testing references for celery seed. Echinacea spp. (echinacea) - A review identified additional clinical trials and case reports of drug interactions, clinical trials with adverse event reporting, case reports, and animal and in vitro pharmacology studies. Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo leaf) - A comprehensive review of new data identified drug interactions studies and case reports, clinical trials with adverse event reporting, adverse event case reports, pharmacological studies, reproductive studies and toxicity assays. Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo seed) - A literature review added toxicity studies and a number of case reports of ingestion of uncooked ginkgo seed.   Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng) – The latest literature review identified interactions studies, clinical trials with adverse event reporting, pharmacology studies, and toxicity studies. Panax notoginseng (tienchi ginseng) - A review identified new data for drug and supplement interactions, clinical trials with reports of adverse events, a case report, and pharmacological studies. Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng) - A review added clinical trial adverse event reporting, pharmacology studies, and a genotoxicity assay. This review also amended the interaction class from Class B to Class A after consideration of the available information on potential interactions. Zingiber officinale (ginger) – Recent review of new literature identified drug interactions studies and case reports, clinical trials with adverse event reporting, adverse event case reports, pharmacological studies, reproductive studies and toxicity assays.   AHPA members can obtain an annual individual subscription to the online Botanical Safety Handbook or a hard copy for $95.00, with multi-user rates available for companies needing expanded access. Information about subscriptions and hard copy purchases can be found on the AHPA website.   Subscribers to the online Botanical Safety Handbook can review short descriptions of updated entries in the "Revisions" panel on the online version homepage when they log in. The online Botanical Safety Handbook is undergoing review of existing entries and the addition of new entries to provide the latest safety information before it can be included in the next print edition of the handbook. AHPA will continue to post additional updates to existing entries as well as develop new botanical entries.   AHPA's Botanical Safety Handbook is an essential tool for anyone who manufactures, recommends, or uses herbal products. The handbook provides safety information on over 500 species of herbs, derived from data compiled from clinical trials, pharmacological and toxicological studies, medical case reports, and historical texts. All entries are reviewed by an Expert Advisory Council that includes some of the most renowned herbal and integrative medicine experts in the United States.

  • Monday, June 23, 2025
  • | Posted by AHPA