The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has called for “a common-sense trade policy” in the face of tariffs on imported herbs that “threaten [the] U.S. wellness industry and consumer access.” Graham Rigby, AHPA president and CEO, emphasized the necessity of exemptions for essential imported herbs from current and proposed tariffs “before consumers and the industry pay the price.”
The article, which appears in SupplySide Supplement Journal, specifies that herbal ingredients which should be subject to tariff relief include ingredients:
- Essential to consumer wellness
- Not commercially cultivable in the United States
- Subject to significant and growing demand
- Critical to the U.S. herbal products industry’s global competitiveness
Rigby also proposes an alternative framework in lieu of a punitive one:
- Exempt essential herbal ingredients from tariffs when domestic cultivation is not commercially viable to meet American demand for health products.
- Promote transparency and sustainability in global sourcing.
- Support domestic innovation and cultivation where possible – without penalizing those still dependent on imports.
- Protect consumer access to affordable, evidence-supported wellness options.
“This is not an abstract policy issue,” said Rigby. “I’s about consumer access and public health. Tens of millions of Americans rely on herbs like cinnamon to support healthy glucose metabolism, ginger to ease digestive discomfort, and green tea for energy and antioxidant support. These uses aren’t fringe wellness practices. Rather, their growing mainstream adoption finds support in both tradition and evidence.”
Read the entire article here.
