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Archive January 2026

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AHPA welcomes Karin VanSlyke as Director of Member Services

January 27, 2026

Karin VanSlykeThe American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) is pleased to announce the hiring of Karin VanSlyke as Director of Member Services. In this role, VanSlyke will drive membership growth, retention, and engagement while supporting educational initiatives to enhance the overall member experience.
 
VanSlyke joins AHPA with extensive experience in strategic partnerships and program management within the health and nutrition industry. Most recently, she served as Strategic Partnerships Manager at Informa. Her background also includes managing digital content marketing programs and coordinating high-visibility communications and events.
 
“AHPA is extremely excited to welcome Karin VanSlyke as our new Director of Member Services,” said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. “We are grateful for our ongoing strategic partnership with Informa and believe that Karin's addition to the AHPA staff will only serve to strengthen the relationship between our teams going forward. As our industry grows, so to does the need to support the growth of AHPA and provide excellent service to our members and we are confident Karin can help us do just that.”
 
VanSlyke is set to begin her new role on February 17, reporting to Amber Bennett, Vice President of Membership & Engagement.
 
“Karin’s proven track record of cultivating industry relationships and her deep understanding of the health and nutrition landscape make her an ideal fit for this role,” said Bennett. “Her expertise in managing complex partnerships and her commitment to high-quality service will be instrumental as we continue to expand our community and enhance the benefits we provide to our members.”

AHPA welcomes introduction of legislation to establish federal regulatory framework for hemp-derived products

January 23, 2026

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) welcomes the introduction of the bipartisan Hemp Enforcement, Modernization, and Protection (HEMP) Act of 2026 by U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health, and Congressman Marc Veasey (D-TX). This legislation aims to resolve years of regulatory uncertainty by establishing a first-of-its-kind federal framework for hemp-derived products within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Since the 2018 Farm Bill established the foundation for the modern hemp industry, stakeholders have navigated a patchwork of conflicting state regulations in the absence of clear federal guidance. The HEMP Act is intended to establish a federal pathway for hemp-derived products, ensuring consumer safety and market stability for legitimate producers.

“We applaud Congressman Griffith and Congressman Veasey for their leadership in presenting an initial path forward for the federal regulation of hemp-derived cannabinoid products,” said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. “Establishing a regulatory framework is essential to protecting consumer access to safe, high-quality hemp-derived products while ensuring that responsible manufacturers can operate within a predictable and stable marketplace, and we are committed to providing significant feedback to Congressman Griffith to strengthen this legislation to benefit all responsible members of industry, including farmers, and maximize the likelihood of its enactment.”

The introduction of the HEMP Act follows a period of significant disruption for the industry. In November 2025, a government funding package included provisions that threatened the viability of many hemp products, set to take effect on November 12, 2026. Congressman Griffith’s new measure, alongside the recently introduced Hemp Planting Predictability Act, represents legislative interest in protecting responsible industry from abrupt market closures and supporting this crucial industry.

AHPA will remain closely engaged with industry partners and policymakers as hemp legislative efforts progress, keeping stakeholders informed while continuing to lead advocacy for a robust framework that prioritizes transparency, botanical integrity, and consumer safety.

AHPA 2024-2025 Tonnage Survey now open

January 20, 2026

Dear Valued Member of the Herbal Industry,

Primary suppliers of raw materials have a vested interest in ongoing sustainable harvest of plants in a manner that assures their use by generations to come. The American Herbal Products Association's Tonnage Survey is "a vital index of native U.S. botanical consumption" according to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and a key resource in support of this effort.

We invite you to play a crucial role in helping to grow our collective understanding of botanical supply chains and sustainable harvest of herbs through your completion of the 2024-2025 survey. 

As with our nine previous surveys, representing harvests for the years from 1997 through 2023, the focus of the 2024-2025 survey includes select North American plants that are produced in part from wild–harvested populations. This survey identifies all the plants from earlier surveys; however, the current version of the survey includes additional non-native botanicals that are being cultivated commercially in North America. 

We ask primary raw materials producers to follow the link below and participate in the survey by February 27, 2026 in order for your contributions to be included in the collective tally. Harvest information provided confidentially by individual companies will be tabulated and presented in overall quantities to provide a powerful tool for industry. By working together in this manner, AHPA and the community of companies who are in the business of herbs can gain valuable information that helps us all plan for sustainable growth and stability. Simply put, if you are a primary raw material producer, your participation in this survey is essential. Note that all individual company data remains confidential. 

We recommend that you complete this survey from a desktop or laptop computer rather than a smart phone or other device with a small screen, and the form should remain open on your browser until you are able to complete all parts and click the submit button. It is not possible to re-open a survey once submitted.  


Surveys may also be returned by mail or as an email attachment. Please make every effort to submit the survey by February 27, 2026. If you have any questions or require any assistance regarding this survey, or if you would like to submit the survey by email attachment or US mail, please contact Holly Chittum at 588-1171 x111 or hchittum@ahpa.org.

Additionally, for those who submit a survey with tonnage data by February 27, 2026, be sure to contact Holly Chittum at 588-1171 x111 or hchittum@ahpa.org with your choice of one of the thank you gifts from this list:
 

  1. $200 off a new AHPA membership (non-members only)

  2. One (1) copy of Herbs of Commerce, 3rd Ed.  

  3. $100 off registration to the AHPA Botanical Congress 

  4. Your choice of one (1) item from the AHPA 40th Anniversary Merchandise Shop


Finally, please notify us if you know of someone who should participate in this survey and may not have done so in the past. If you prefer, you may refer colleagues directly to the survey link.

Thank you! Your time and support are appreciated by AHPA and the herbal community of today and tomorrow.

Edward J. Fletcher
Chair, AHPA Botanical Raw Materials Committee

Holly K. Chittum
AHPA Project Scientist

AHPA opposes Dietary Supplement Listing Act of 2026

January 16, 2026

The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) announces its opposition to the latest iteration of Senator Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) Dietary Supplement Listing Act, introduced by the retiring senator in the 119th Congress yesterday. The bill seeks to establish a mandatory product listing (MPL) requirement for dietary supplements marketed in the United States. Senator Durbin previously introduced similar MPL legislation in both the 117th and 118th Congresses to opposition from AHPA and other industry trade groups.
 
Advocates for MPL have not sufficiently articulated how this requirement would provide tangible benefits to consumers or meaningfully enhance FDA’s existing authorities to enforce against marketers of drug-spiked products masquerading as dietary supplements. While not opposed to the concept of mandatory product listing in principle, AHPA does not support legislation that lacks provisions to clearly benefit public health or sufficiently accommodate small businesses. AHPA has long supported statutory amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act that protect consumers without placing undue burdens on responsible manufacturers.
 
“AHPA remains committed to protecting public health and fostering a transparent, innovative dietary supplement industry,” said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. “We will continue our direct engagement with FDA and Congress to develop meaningful, common-sense reforms that increase accountability and modernize our regulatory framework to meet the needs of today’s dietary supplement marketplace and consumers.”

Legislation introduced to delay implementation of new hemp restrictions

January 14, 2026

Yesterday, Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN) introduced the Hemp Planting Predictability Act, legislation that would provide a two-year extension on the implementation of restrictive hemp provisions included in the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations bill enacted in November 2025.

The provisions, which redefine hemp and impose strict new limits on THC content, are currently scheduled to take effect on November 12, 2026. If enacted, the Hemp Planting Predictability Act would extend the implementation date by two years, giving farmers, processors, and retailers the necessary time to adjust to the new regulatory landscape while allowing the industry to work with lawmakers to establish a permanent, science-based regulatory framework for hemp-derived products.

The bill was introduced with bipartisan support, with co-sponsors including House Oversight and Accountability Chair James Comer (R-KY), House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN), Congressman Tim Moore (R-NC), and Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO).

“We support Congressman Baird’s efforts to extend the implementation of new hemp restrictions as we lead collaborative efforts by industry to develop a regulatory framework that supports responsible commerce and protects consumer access to hemp products,” said American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) President & CEO Graham Rigby. “This extension would prove a vital step in assuring farmers that they will have a market this year as they make planting decisions and allow continued consumer access to hemp products while a robust framework is finalized through Congress.”

AHPA invites members and the wider industry interested in supporting these efforts to join the AHPA Cannabis Committee, through which AHPA coordinates legislative engagement and advocacy for the long-term viability of the hemp and CBD markets.

Prominent role for herbs, supplements in new Dietary Guidelines

January 12, 2026

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) have issued the much-anticipated 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In a major departure from previous editions, the guidelines have been shortened by more than 90% and streamlined to provide broad information intended to be directly accessible to American consumers.

Notwithstanding this simplification, the new guidelines prominently mention the use of herbs as a flavor enhancer for proteins, fruits, and vegetables, and recognize that members of many special populations may need dietary supplements to meet their nutritional needs.

"We're thrilled that the guidelines acknowledge the vital role of herbs and dietary supplements in a healthy diet," said Graham Rigby, President & CEO of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). "AHPA will continue its outreach to ensure herbs and herbal products are recognized and appreciated for the benefits they bring to all Americans."

Court decision informs strategic tariff litigation decision making

January 5, 2026

In a prior update, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) informed members of a legal option available to the trade to address one form of uncertainty regarding the scope of available relief should the administration's IEEPA tariffs be found unlawful. Specifically, this option entailed litigation seeking to enjoin U.S. Customs & Border Protection from completing liquidation of entered lots to mitigate the potential for the government to deny tariff refunds. This update reports on further developments that may inform the decision making of companies considering this option.
 
AHPA wishes to further inform members of a recent opinion of the United States Court of International Trade (USCIT) that denied a motion for a preliminary injunction pursuant to a similar legal action. In this decision, the court found that the government had taken the "unequivocal position" that "liquidation will not affect the availability of refunds after a final decision" regarding the legality of tariffs. In the cited response from the government, the administration asserted it "will not oppose or object to the [c]ourt’s authority to order reliquidation" and that "[s]uch reliquidation would result in a refund of all duties determined to be unlawfully assessed, with interest."

This ruling arguably obviates the need for importers to pursue the legal option that was the subject of the prior update. However, significant uncertainties remain regarding the ultimate disposition and potential refunding of IEEPA tariffs; for example, the USCIT is not the final determinative court regarding the scope of applicable refund relief, and the Supreme Court may make a different decision regarding the scope of applicable refunds. As previously stated, this update does not constitute an endorsement of any particular legal action regarding the disposition of IEEPA tariffs. AHPA members should consult their own legal counsel regarding the impacts of this decision on their particular circumstances.

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